A Chinese turquoise ground and gilt censer and cover, 19th century

蓝绿底描金香炉, 19世纪, 连木架

modelled in the style of a cloisonne fangding censer with a turquoise ground and blue speckles, the body in the form of a shaped lingzhi head, with raised decoration in black and gilt of spirals and each side with two writhing dragons, the neck with upside-down bats, with a rectangular rim and cover, the angled raised cover with a dog-like finial, the sides modelled with inverted ruyi sceptre handles again heightened in black and gilt, on four shaped and animal mask legs, with a carved matched wood stand (2)

此香炉以方鼎为形, 通体以蓝绿釉为底, 有深蓝斑彩点饰, 并以高凸黑彩描金手法装饰。香炉主体以灵芝为形, 其上有蛟龙及涡纹, 炉颈有蝙蝠及涡纹, 炉盖有小孔, 盖钮呈卧犬状,两侧炉柄凸出, 以如意为形, 下有四只兽面高足, 架为后配