18TH-19TH CENTURY

Censers were used to freshen interiors, and could be placed in imperial offices, private residences, places of worship or used outdoors. To support censers, incense stands became a standard piece of furniture for any individual who could afford luxury goods. Incense stands tend to be tall and symmetrical in form. They were generally placed away from the wall and centrally located within an interior space, to allow for the effective diffusion of scent. Though the name, incense stand, implies a specific use, Ming-dynasty prints show the incense stand used for numerous purposes, including the display of scholar’s rocks, flowers, and decorative objects.

A five-legged circular huanghuali incense stand with cabriole legs and raised on a circular base, dated to the seventeenth century, formerly in the collection of the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, was sold in Rich Golden Hues and Graceful Forms – Classical Chinese Furniture from the Tseng Collection; Christie's Hong Kong, 29 November 2022, lot 2806. A three-legged incense stand, carved with stylized ruyi heads on the cabriole legs was sold in the Marie Theresa L. Virata Collection; Christie’s New York, 16 March 2017, lot 613.