香炉 - The Kōro

Asian Works of Art Auction 
Thursday 15 March @ 11.30am 
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The Asian Works of Art Auction at McTear’s always features intriguing articles and the next auction is no different. Look out for a pair of Japanese bronze incense burners in the form of birds 

Incense burners, censers or kōro (in Japan) vary in form, size and material and have been used since ancient times in many different cultures for burning incense. Usually, they are in a bowl or pot shape. Lot 1045 has a particular decorative quality as well as being fit for purpose. The incense is placed in the body of the bird and has a detachable cover with apertures (for the incense) in the form of the bird’s wing. The bronze birds stand on a stylised rocky base, creating a naturalistic representation popular to bronze sculpture during the Meiji period (1868–1912).

In Japan, birds are symbolic of longevity, luck and love, characteristics appealing for an incense burner to create a calming atmosphere as well while producing a beautiful scent. This unique pair of incense burners feature in the upcoming Asian Works of Art Auction on the 15^th of March. 

Artworks from China, Japan, Korea, India, Persia, Iran and many other artistically rich nations. From Shang bronzes to Meiji ceramics and woodblock prints to Iznik dishes, Chinese and Japanese objets d’art in particular are more popular than ever at McTear’s, with demand regularly driving prices above estimate.

McTear’s sells more Asian works of art than any other traditional auction house in the dedicated auctions that take place monthly, run concurrently live online on a platform that attracts six million visitors annually from over 120 countries worldwide.

Dedicated auctions of Asian Works of Art are held every six weeks.