Bells, Censers & Incense Burners

Agarwood smoke curling from a bronze lid. Antique bells, censers and incense burners here come from China, Japan, Nepal and India, with figural Bamileke pipes from Cameroon. Chinese bronze censers, many from Hebei and Guangdong, are cast with foo lions, qilin, dragons and phoenixes, and porcelain lu burners date to the 19th century. From Japan come a set of four graduated temple bells with dragons and a 19th century censer held aloft by an oni demon.

Nepalese temple bells carry Hanuman and a cat, an Indian bronze bell rises to twin Garudas, and a Nepalese copper incense burner shows the eight auspicious symbols. There are lacquered elm incense holders from Shanxi, a Japanese koro box, carved bamboo and blackwood incense tubes, Chinese opium pipe bowls and a silver personal incense kit. Ring a bell at the door or set a censer on a hall table, lit or not. A room smells better for the thought alone.