| DESCRIPTION: A Chinese pewter incense seal (or clock), a rare, complete set with all trays and the original small tools. This clock seal has five separate components (see photos), all of which are intact and in good condition. The cover is pierced with the “double happiness” symbol, and inside the base tier are stored the original small tools used to prepare the incense for burning: a pewter shovel to scoop the loose incense, a tamper for packing it, and a scorer for cutting the incense while using the brass template.
Beginning in about the eighth century and used for a period of more than twelve hundred years, the Chinese devised a method to measure time by burning incense. The incense would be ignited, and through the measure of its slow combustion rate, the passage of time could be determined with great accuracy. This is a fine example of the type of container used to hold the incense while it burned.
From a private collection and in good condition other than signs of usage, this incense seal was purchased in the mid 1970's in Hong Kong when the Chinese government was releasing confiscated items from their warehouses. For an informative article on incense clocks, see “Arts of Asia,” March-April 1995. DIMENSIONS: 3 ¼” high (8.3 cm) x 2 ½” square (6.5 cm).
Price: $575 Stock #LVBB5 |
