China - Rectangular 'horse trough burner' (macao lu 馬槽爐) in bronze with reddish-brown patina and f-shaped handles. Four-character mark under the base in ZHUAN CHU. Qing period. H. 5.8 cm H. 15.7 cm total Width. at handles 12.1 x 7.4 cm Weight 1,183 g (with base and lid) Reference: For a similar piece with mark Kangxi Mo Shi Jia Zhen 莫氏家珍, see Rob Michiels 20 June 2025 lot 764 Note: The Chinese name for this incense burner, 'horse trough burner' (macao lu 馬槽爐), comes from its distinctive shape, reminiscent of a horse trough (馬槽). This shape differs from traditional antique bronze incense burner designs, based on the concept of a "round sky and square earth". While most incense-burners took the shape of a round sky, fewer adopted the shape of a square earth, as this lot shows. This piece, an imitation of a Ming Xuande incense burner dating from the Qing dynasty, is cast in solid bronze and exudes a dignified and solemn presence. Its simplicity exudes a refined elegance, embodying the scholarly spirit. See a similar rectangular bronze incense burner, 17th century, which sold at Bonhams London, 9 November 2015, lot 296. Compare also a similar rectangular bronze incense burner, 17th/18th century, which sold at Christie's New York, 21 March 2014, lot 2285.