Chinese Luduan mythical unicorn beast bronze censer / incense burner

A Sino-Tibetan "Luduan" bronze incense burner / censer in Ming dynasty style. The cover cast in the form of the mythical beast's head with upright ears flanking a single unicorn horn, above large eyes and an open fanged-mouth. The sides of the body decorated with raised flame scrolls, all supported on four short legs.

Signed to base.

Luduan is a legendary Chinese auspicious creature. It has the head of a lion, the horn of a rhino, the body of a dragon, the paws of a bear, the scales of a fish, and the tail of an ox. It can travel 18,000 li (9000 km or 5500 mi) in a single day and speaks all world languages. It appears during the enlightened rule. A legend says a luduan once appeared to Genghis Khan and convinced him to abandon his efforts to conquer India. The throne of the Emperor in the Hall of Supreme Harmony has two incense burners shaped like the luduan as an auspicious symbol.

1580 g

17 cm tall with head
9.5 cm tall without lid
8 cm wide
17 from tail to chest

Great condition.