DIA100xH110mm, China
This old incense burner has a very contemporary design, even the exterior has a glossy finished to it. It would have been used at home for the worship of gods or the ancestors. The interior of the burner would be filled with ashes of the rice bran, these would be used to secure the incense stick. As times goes by the container will be naturally filled with the ashes of the incense.
W200xH300xD80mm, China
This is a warrior mask of the Chinese Ground Theatre (Di Xi). A form of theater which based on the warring theme.
The character of the masks can be broadly divided into 4 catagories; generals, saints, clowns and animals. The generals would wear helmets, like this one; and consists of warriors, intellectuals, female, old and young generals. This particular mask belongs to the warrior general which the blue face symbolizes bravery and a strong character. The saint types are masks with a weird features, e.g. a beak; they are powerful figures which comes to assist the generals on wars. As in all theatres, di xi cannot be without the clowns, often character of distorted faces. Lastly, the animals; the fierceful lion and tiger, the tamed horse, the stipid pig, hard working ox, endearing dog and the cheeky monkey.
W40xD25xH70mm, China
The blue rabbit on the transparent glass gives this bottle a dream like quality, it reminds me of legendary jade rabbit on the moon.
For the rabbits, this is perhaps their dream place to be, Okunshima, the rabbit paradise where rabbits runs free with no predators. However, back in 1925 this island was a hell hole for the rabbits, they were used to test the poisonous gas that was produced on the island by the Japanese Imperial army. The poisonous gas is now commissioned and a museum has been set up to alter the people of the effect of poisonous gas and war.
See click here to see our other snuff bottles.
DIA320xH120mm, China
A moving film about the master bamboo artistan, Hiroshima Kazuo, about being an artisan, about crafts.
DIA90xH20mm, China
The circular crane is a traditional Chinese pattern which symbolizes longevity and satisfactions; it was originally used as the emblem on military flags in the Warring State period but by the Ming dynasty as Taoism becomes prominent their chosen saint carrier – the crane starts appearing on pottery and garments.
W110xL180mm, China
In China, the idea of tiger is not seen as a threat but a sign of protection. The strength and bravery of a tiger is aspired to; for the Chinese New Year, parents would dress the baby up in tiger gear, both as a protection blessing as well as a wish for their son to have the tiger’s attributes.
Apart from tiger mitten, there are tiger hats, tiger shoes, tiger du dou and of course tiger toys.
L460xD180xH650mm, China
This antique lacquer figurine is that of the Bodhisattva Manjusri (文殊菩薩). Bodhisattva Manjusri and Maitreya are the often depicted with the Gautama Buddha with Manjusri on the left and Maitreya on his right, representing wisdom and teaching receptively.
Mantra of Manjushri
The creature Bodhisattva Manjusri is riding is a green lion (suan ni), the 8th son of the dragon. He adores the incense and sitting so you will also be able to find him as a decoration for the feet of the incense burner.
W60xL370mm, China
Tomorrow is the Duan Wu festival, the 5th day of lunar May, before Qu Yuan and the dragon boats came along it was a day for casting away the deadly famine. In ancient times when science and hygiene was poor, it is believed that lunar May is the month of toxin and the 5th is the day of evil and on this combination the day of death. To avoid ailment one is to be purified by bathing and resisted on meat, alcohol and sexual activities. A fragrant sachet would be worn by people all ages, the contents of the bag changes through time as hygiene improves and the taboo of the day of death becomes more remote, from the evil busting copper coins to the pesticide realgar powder, to the antiperspirant clam powder to medicinal fragrant herbs. From patchwork, the sachet was later decorated with embroidery; this particular on has on it a lotus and a lizard, lotus symbolizes togetherness with the lizard (one of the 5 poisonous creatures) offering it protection.
W80xL180mm, China
We all used to palm fiber brush for scrub pots and pans before scotch brite comes along. Palm fiber is a natural material that absorb grease making it more environmentally friendly. This particular brush has the petiole of the palm leaf as a natural handle which makes a perfect minimal design.
Mountain Folkcraft 