Chinese Wood Incense Holder

Turned post with two discs and a faded red-brown glow.

This lacquered elm wood incense holder from Shanxi Province is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. Burning incense is a long-established practice in Chinese homes and temples, where it is used in worship, in remembrance of ancestors and for fragrance. Sturdy, lathe-turned post that swells into a bell-shaped base, with two broad discs spaced along the stem and a narrow top. The surface is red brown with darker, worn black patches and fine ridged rings. It is 8 inches high and 2.5 in diameter.

A humble silhouette that still manages some poise.