A large Longquan celadon tripod censer, Ming dynasty, 15th-16th century. Estimate HK$20,000 - HK$40,000 ($2,592 - $5,185). Price Realized HK$22,500 ($2,916). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

The censer stands on three decorative cabriole legs, moulded and carved in relief on the exterior with the Eight Trigrams, between raised bands around the rim and base. It is covered with an even olive-green celadon glaze that continues over the rim into the unglazed interior and over the lower edge onto the base around an unglazed pendent round circle. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm.) diam.

Provenance: A private institution, western Japan, acquired in the 1920s 

Note: Compare to a similarly decorated censer of smaller size in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Green - Longquan Celadon of the Ming Dynasty, Taipei, 2009, pp. 222-223, no. 122.

Christie's. THE PAVILION SALE - CHINESE CERAMICS & WORKS OF ART, 6 October 2015, 22nd Floor