Chinese Wood Incense Holder

Flat discs and a bell-shaped foot make a tidy turned tower.

This lacquered elm wood incense holder from Shanxi Province is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. An incense holder is made to hold sticks or cones upright while they burn, and the base is usually wide so that ash falls safely. Lathe-turned post with a heavy bell-shaped base, a short waisted stem and two flat discs, topped by a thin peg. The surface is a rich deep brown with a soft sheen and slightly lighter wear on the edges. It is 8.25 inches high and 3 in diameter.

Turned with care and polished by years of hands.