Enameled Shan Shui Brazier

Filled with burning coals, this 19th-century brazier once warmed the hands of a well-to-do person on a cold winter's night in northern China. Crafted of white brass, the brazier has a rectangular form with rounded corners, a single hinged handle, and an intricately pierced lid with a chrysanthemum pattern. The exterior is finely etched with stylized scrollwork and scenes of palatial courtyard structures within a mountainous landscape. The original design appears to have been embellished at a later date with dark enamels, adding a contemporary twist to the traditional shan shui landscape. A keepsake from a bygone era, this fine brazier looks lovely today as an accent to a bookcase or console table.