Chinese Copper Censer

Glossy black pot topped with a lid of woven openwork.

This red copper censer is from Henan Province, China, and is contemporary. Henan Province lies in the Yellow River plain and is among the oldest centres of Chinese civilization, with a long history of bronze and metal casting. Round, plump vessel with a smooth black glaze and a short upright collar. The domed lid is pierced in a lattice of interlacing loops, with the dark surface catching soft highlights. The body shows no decoration, just a clean curve. It is 2.5 inches high and 3.25 in diameter.

All that polish and a lid that lets everything out anyway.