Chinese Silver Inlaid Bronze Tripod Covered Censer Ming/Qing Dynasty, 15th/17th Century, Signed Shishou and Dated 1426 The body cast in the form of an archaic liding, each wide rounded leg with a raised double band chevron rising to the widest point of the body dividing triangular bosses where the upper legs join the neck, two L-shaped handles rising from the neck, the entire body densely inlaid in silver with a tightly scrolling leafy foliate design, the cover with a seated qilin surrounded by waves, further silver inlay, the cover pierced, the inscriptions cast in six lines down the inside edges of the legs read: Da Ming Xuande / Yuan Nian Ji Qui; Late autumn 1st rear of Xuande (1426); Xia Yuan Gong Bu / Chen Wu Bang Zuo; 20-30th days of the month Industry Department / Wu Bang Zuo (Shishou real name) subject of the king; Wu Jin Zhi Zhao / Shi Shou Bao Ding; The metal ( wu jin) made by Shishou: Treasured Ding. Height 20 inches. For a similar example: See Sotheby's New York, 17 September 1998, lot 156; Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29 April 1992, lot 276; Christie's New York, 17 September 2008, lot 220; Christie's New York, 17 September 2008, lot 220 C