A Large gilt bronze cloisonne enamel Chinese covered censer having a bulbous body with wide opening rim, slightly raised on footed rim and covered with a domed lid. Casted two gilt bronze sea dragon handle flanked under the rim, facing outward. The finial having open-work motif of striding dragon amongst floral foliate. The lid having centralized cartouche beneath the finial, with rococo Utpala motif, over a lattice diaper ground. The main decoration depicted nine cobalt-blue ascending dragons against dense of lotus scrolling tendrils. The cloisonne decorating has been done with impressive fluency and detail. Mark on base, protruding six script -KaiShu- characters, enclosed by square framed border, QianLong Reign Period Dimensions: 21" H x 24-1/2"W LOT NOTES: The cloisonne technique was mostly used for jewelry and small fittings for clothes, weapons or similar small objects decorated with geometric or schematic designs, with thick cloisonne walls. 14th century this enamel technique had spread to China, where it was soon used for much larger vessels such as bowls and vases; the technique remains common in China to the present day, and cloisonne enamel objects using Chinese-derived styles were produced in the 18th century. However, by the beginning of the 18th century the Kangxi Emperor had a cloisonne workshop among the many Imperial factories. The most elaborate and highly valued Chinese pieces are from the early Ming Dynasty, especially the reigns of the Xuande Emperor and Jingtai Emperor (1450–57), although 19th century or modern pieces are far more common. The Chinese industry seems to have benefited from a number of skilled Byzantine refugees fleeing the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, although based on the name alone, it is far more likely China obtained knowledge of the technique from the middle east. In much Chinese cloisonne blue is usually the predominant color, and the Chinese name for the technique, jingtailan ("Jingtai blue ware"), refers to this, and the Jingtai Emperor. Chinese cloisonne is amongst the best known enamel cloisonne in the world.