Pair of incense burners in the form of bixie. Sitting on its haunches, the leonine, winged, mythical beast (bixie) with head raised and jaws open, revealing a gilt tongue, teeth and fangs; the eyes blue with gilt pupils, the curling mane moulded in relief and coloured in green and blue, and on the chest, a gilt ball pendant; the curling tail gilt. On the body and powerful outstretched legs, cloisonné scrolls in white and blue on a deep green ground, the claws gilt. On the head, a backward-pointing horn, with a ring handle for lifting the head, hinged for access, enabling its use as an incense burner.

Text adapted from Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen: Volume III.