A PARTIALLY GILT AND LACQUERED BRONZE CENSER

A PARTIALLY GILT AND LACQUERED BRONZE CENSERJapan, 17th-18th century Rectangular section with four curved legs, the corners highlighted by indentation, two high curved handles, on each side a floral composition in relief within a cartouche reserved on a black ground, incised three-character mark to the center of the base, lid missing. 13.5 x 15 x 8 cm Provenance: Italian private collection. This censer belongs to a type known by the term 'Sawasa', which should derive from "Saussa," a transliteration of shakudo, a Japanese word that identifies a particular metal processing.Recent studies, included in the volume Sawasa: Japanese Export Art in Black and Gold 1650-1800 (Amsterdam 1998), have shown that these artifacts - previously considered to be produced in southern China - were actually produced in Nagasaki, probably with the collaboration of Chinese artisans, and exported throughout Asia and in smaller quantities to Europe.A censer very similar to this one, complete with lid with finial as a lion, was sold at Bonham's San Francisco, June 28, 2016, lot 8160.