🎎 Ceramic Incense Powder Holder with Swirl Lid – Japan Antique Roadshow

🎎 This small ceramic vessel is a Japanese incense powder or pellet container, traditionally used for storing fragrant incense grains. Such holders are most commonly associated with Buddhist ritual practice, where pinches of incense are placed onto burning charcoal during ceremonies or memorial observances. Similar vessels may also be used in kōdō (香道, The Way of Incense), Japan's classical incense appreciation art, where finely prepared incense materials are handled with precision and care. On occasion, incense vessels like this may appear in the preparation spaces of tea gatherings (茶道, sadō), where incense is burned to subtly scent the room before guests arrive.

The clamshell-style lid, with its hand-painted spiral motif, reflects a dynamic, organic aesthetic. The vessel shows clear signs of use, including small edge chips and gentle wear, contributing to its wabi-sabi character—an embrace of imperfection and impermanence often valued in Japanese folkcraft.

📏 Approximate dimensions:

• Weight: 50g

• Diameter: 5.5 cm

• Height with lid: 3 cm

• Material: Glazed ceramic

• Condition: Used, with minor edge wear and small chips; structurally sound with natural patina

Curated in Shizuoka City by Kurt Bell, this piece offers a quiet, tangible connection to Japanese ritual practice, incense culture, and the timeless beauty of handcrafted forms.

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