明 大型銅鏨刻人物故事圖紋象耳爐 Of bombé form supported on a short splayed foot, flanked by a pair of elephant handles, the bronze patinated to a warm ochre tone, finely incised around the body with two bands of shaped cartouche enclosing story scenes alternated by medallions enclosing auspicious character, the underside inscribed with a fifteen character mark in seal script. Ming Dynasty period. 此銅爐為敞口，平折沿，束頸，鼓腹下斂，肩頸部出雙像耳，其餘空白處鏨刻人物故事圖，圈足外撇，整器呈紅褐色，寶光內藴，給人以細膩柔嫩之感，尺寸數宣爐中標準器者，手感厚重，款識清晰，實為難得一見的佳作。宣德爐是指明代宣德皇帝在位時，從泰國進口一批風磨銅，責成宮廷禦匠呂震和工部侍郎吳邦佐，參照皇府內五大名窯的款式，精心製造，並挑選了金銀等幾十種貴重金屬與紅銅一起經過十多次的精心鑄煉，才使宣德爐成為中國古代銅香爐製作的巔峰之作。來源：佛羅裡達州資深藏家提供