A HU WENMING PARCEL-GILT BRONZE INCENSE-TOOL VASE, MING DYNASTY China, 17^th century. Of cylindrical form with a waisted neck and base, supported on a flat circular foot, cast and chased around the body and neck with auspicious and Buddhist symbols against a ring-punched ground, the foot and galleried rim with leiwen bands.

Inscriptions: To base, ‘Hu Wenming zhi’.

Provenance: From a Swedish collection.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear and casting irregularities, few small dents and minuscule nicks, occasional light scratches.

Weight: 264 g
Dimensions: Height 10.3 cm

Hu Wenming is one of the most renowned metalworkers in Chinese history and one of the few whose name and style are discussed in Chinese art-historical writing. Most of the works attributed to Hu Wenming are scholarly objects, such as incense burners and brush pots, characterized by densely worked backgrounds covered with detailed naturalistic and other motifs cast in high relief.

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related incense-tool vase by Hu Wenming, 10.5 cm high, also dated to the 17^th century, at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Water, Pine And Stone Retreat Collection: Later Bronzes on 7 April 2014, lot 202, sold for HKD 175,000.

明代“胡文明製”款局部鎏金銅小瓶
中國，十七世紀。小瓶圓柱形，直頸，底足內縮，直圈足。唇部與圈足飾雷紋，瓶身圓點地浮雕鎏金吉祥和佛教符號。

款識: 胡文明製。

來源：瑞典私人收藏。
品相：狀況極好，有舊磨損和鑄件瑕疵，少量小凹痕和微小的刻痕，局部有輕微的劃痕。

重量：264克
尺寸：高10.3厘米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件十七世紀“胡文明製”小瓶，高10.5 厘米，見香港蘇富比Water, Pine And Stone Retreat Collection: Later Bronzes 2014年4月7日 lot 202, 售價HKD 175,000。