A COISONNÉ ENAMEL-INSET PAINTED RED QIANGJIN LACQUER 'DRAGON' STANDLate Ming DynastyThe circular top inset with a cloisonne enamel panel enclosing threeshou characters surrounded by meandering foliate scroll, within a border of five-clawed dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls in painted red lacquer, all supported on five tall cabriole legs on a circular stand raised onruyi-shaped feet.25cm (9 7/8in) highProvenance: 明晚期 朱漆地嵌掐絲琺瑯戧金龍紋圓香几Incense stands such as the present example were used both in religious as well as secular contexts as contemporaneous paintings and prints illustrated in the Ming dynasty. Often positioned in the centre of a room, such stands supporting incense burners were designed with great attention to detail and form, pleasing to the eye from any angle. These stands, both in lacquer and hardwood, are seen in a variety of forms, including round, square, foliate, hexagonal and octagonal and are constructed with three, four, five or six legs. See four examples with circular top in the Qing Court Collection, datable from the Ming dynasty Xuande period to early Qing dynasty, illustrated inTheplete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Vol.1, Hong Kong, 2002, pl.162, 165, 166 and 169.明代有室內焚香的習俗，香几為香爐的承具。不論為漆製抑或硬木製，均式樣紛呈，形狀方面有圓、方、花口、六方及八方；几足方面，有三、四、五及六足。云云已出版之例子當中，以如此拍品般的圓几最為常見，亦常見於明代木版畫，為書房或佛堂中重要的傢具陳設之一。北京故宮博物院藏有四例，年代涵蓋明宣德至清初，詳見《故宮文物珍品全集―明清家具（上）》，香港，2002年，編號162、165、166及169。