Chinese Gilt Bronze and Cloisonné Enamel Tripod Incense Burner with Cover, Late Qing to Republic period. 

This finely cast and richly ornamented Chinese gilt bronze and cloisonné enamel tripod incense burner, dating from the late Qing dynasty to the Republican period, represents a highly accomplished example of export-oriented cloisonné ware and can be confidently associated with the renowned Lao Tianli (老天利) workshop. Of compressed globular form, the vessel is raised on three elaborately modeled elephant-form legs, each rendered with notable sculptural vitality and further enriched with vivid enamel harness decoration. The three elephant heads project prominently, their trunks forming dynamic supports; on close inspection, one of the trunk shows a slight dent, consistent with age and handling. The body is flanked by stylized animal-head handles and densely decorated in polychrome cloisonné enamels depicting scrolling floral branches (缠枝花卉纹) reserved against a geometric diaper ground, all framed by bands of key-fret and stylized scrollwork. The enamel colors remain strikingly vibrant, creating a strong visual contrast with the warm gilded bronze mounts.

The domed and pierced cover is particularly noteworthy for its ingenious construction, as it is designed to rotate, allowing for the controlled release of incense smoke. It is surmounted by a finely cast recumbent mythical beast, whose elongated tusks and hybridized features evoke an elephant-like auspicious creature. Along the inner rim of the cover, four neatly incised regular-script characters read “老天利制” (Made by Lao Tianli), a mark of considerable importance that firmly anchors the piece within the production of this celebrated workshop. The interior of the censer retains substantial accumulations of incense ash, including black and grey residues, clearly indicating prolonged historical use. Minor wear to the gilding is visible overall, and areas of green verdigris are present on the bronze mounts, both consistent with age and authentic use. The two handles show a minor area of damage, though this does not detract from the overall integrity and strong presentation of the piece.

The history of Lao Tianli is closely intertwined with the transformation of cloisonné production in modern China. Established in the late Qing dynasty, at a time when the imperial court, weakened by internal unrest and external pressures, could no longer sustain the costly production of imperial enamels, cloisonné craftsmanship shifted into the private sector. Among the emerging workshops, Lao Tianli became the most prominent and commercially successful, alongside contemporaries such as Dexingcheng, Jingyuantang, and Zhiyuantang. Located on Baochan Temple Street in Beijing and among the earliest to adopt a semi-industrialized, export-oriented model—often supported by foreign capital—the workshop played a decisive role in introducing Chinese cloisonné wares to international markets. Its reputation was firmly established when a Baoding-type censer (宝鼎炉, “Tresured Tripod Burner”) produced by Lao Tianli won first prize at the 1904 World’s Fair and again at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, securing its status as a leading name in Chinese decorative arts of the period.

In terms of form, the present censer, with its tripod elephant supports, domed rotating pierced cover, and compact yet monumental silhouette, clearly relates to the Baoding censer tradition—an adaptation of ancient ritual tripod vessels into highly decorative incense burners for both domestic appreciation and export.

Taken as a whole, this work embodies the aesthetic richness, technical sophistication, and historical importance of late Qing to Republican cloisonné ware. Its combination of finely cast gilt bronze elements, vibrant enamel decoration, functional ingenuity, clear workshop mark, visible signs of use, and natural surface aging—including wear, incense residue, verdigris, and minor handling-related imperfections—make it a compelling and desirable object, representative of a pivotal moment in the evolution of Chinese cloisonné from imperial luxury to globally appreciated decorative art. Height: 8 inches; Diameter: 4 1/4 inches; Width: 5 3/4 inches.

Overall condition is good, with the piece well preserved and presenting attractively. Minor wear to the gilded bronze surfaces is visible throughout, consistent with age and handling. Areas of natural green verdigris are present on the bronze mounts. One of the elephant trunks shows a small dent, and both handles exhibit minor cracks. The interior contains accumulations of incense ash, including black and grey residues, indicating prolonged use. Despite these condition issues, the censer remains structurally sound and retains strong visual appeal. For condition report, please contact the Asian Art Department.