Chinese Long Carved Blackwood Incense Tube

Dark tube whose carving only shows when the light is generous.

This long carved blackwood incense tube is from China. A tall, narrow tube is a practical shape for holding incense sticks upright, and carved decoration on the surface could make a simple holder into a display piece. Slim cylindrical case in deep brown, almost black, with fine carved patterns running along the upper half. A small cap sits at the top. The surface is dense and smooth with a quiet sheen. It is 9.5 inches long and 0.7 in diameter.

Dark, narrow, and full of unexplained detail.