Bidspirit auction | A Chinese Pierced Bronze Dragon-Turtle

A Chinese Pierced Bronze Dragon-Turtle Incense Burner - A cast copper alloy incense burner, or censer, modelled as a mythical dragon-turtle, also known as a Longgui. The object is a hollow casting produced via the lost-wax or sand-casting method. The creature is depicted in a quadrupedal walking stance with a chimeric head featuring a wide grin, a bulbous nose, and small upright ears or horns. The domed carapace is incised with hexagonal plate patterns and is pierced with nine circular apertures designed to allow incense smoke to escape. The legs feature textured, scale-like detailing, and the piece is finished with a thick, segmented tail. The surface exhibits a dark brown aged patina. No maker's marks, stamps, or signatures are visible.