Incense burner - Bronze - the zodiac
03
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This Chinese bronze incense burner dating from 1980–1990 measures 13.5 cm high, 11 cm wide and 9 cm deep (400 g) and is titled Dierenriem with a Foo Dog on the lid and zodiac figures on the body.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
* Dutch seller with more than 25 years of experience in Tibet, Nepal and China
* No extra costs for European buyers — no customs duties, import VAT or handling fees, which you would pay with all other Asian providers at this auction
* 100% transparent — all photos were taken by us and show exactly the object you will receive
* No intermediaries — we ship our products ourselves, directly to you via easy-to-follow Track and Trace codes
* Lightning-fast shipping — always within 2 business days, usually within 1 business day
* Fair & combined shipping costs — combined shipping active on all our auction items
* Flexible shipping — after payment you can easily provide a preferred shipping date
* 100% Reliable — Your package will always be shipped, regardless of the final bid.
This is a high-quality Chinese bronze incense burner (香炉, xiānglú), decorated with iconographic elements from classical Chinese art.
Foo Dog (Buddhist Lion) on the lid
The Foo Dog (獅子, shīzi) on top of the lid is a protective being — a Buddhist-Taoist guardian.
In incense burners, he symbolizes protection of the sacred space and warding off evil spirits.
The openwork lid rim lets incense smoke escape as "holy breath."
Dragons on incense burners connect the earthly with the celestial.
The Twelve Zodiac Animals (十二生肖, shí'èr shēngxiāo)
The gilded relief figures on the belly of the burner depict animals of the Chinese zodiac: ox, tiger, dog, pig, and others are visible.
This places the object in a cosmological frame — the cycle of time, karma and rebirth.
The three legs in the form of animal feet refer to the classical ding (鼎) — the ritual bronze vessel from the Zhou dynasty.
Three legs = the stability of heaven, earth and humanity (三才, sāncái).
Taotie masks as handles
The dragon/monster heads on the sides (handles) are taotie (饕餮) — mythical beings that appear on Shang dynasty bronzes (ca. 1600–1046 BC).
Symbol of protection and the devouring of evil.
Seller's Story
With more than 25 years of experience, we personally travel through China, Tibet, and Nepal to select authentic devotional art and ritual objects.
Each piece is carefully chosen for its cultural value, craftsmanship, and story.
Fast shipping and professional packaging - Each object is expertly packed to guarantee safe delivery
We always offer combined shipping on our auctions.
Note: You can only combine items within the same auction. If you wish to purchase multiple items from different auctions, pay for one item first and then send us a message so we can reduce the shipping costs on the other item.
Translated by Google Translate* Dutch seller with more than 25 years of experience in Tibet, Nepal and China
* No extra costs for European buyers — no customs duties, import VAT or handling fees, which you would pay with all other Asian providers at this auction
* 100% transparent — all photos were taken by us and show exactly the object you will receive
* No intermediaries — we ship our products ourselves, directly to you via easy-to-follow Track and Trace codes
* Lightning-fast shipping — always within 2 business days, usually within 1 business day
* Fair & combined shipping costs — combined shipping active on all our auction items
* Flexible shipping — after payment you can easily provide a preferred shipping date
* 100% Reliable — Your package will always be shipped, regardless of the final bid.
This is a high-quality Chinese bronze incense burner (香炉, xiānglú), decorated with iconographic elements from classical Chinese art.
Foo Dog (Buddhist Lion) on the lid
The Foo Dog (獅子, shīzi) on top of the lid is a protective being — a Buddhist-Taoist guardian.
In incense burners, he symbolizes protection of the sacred space and warding off evil spirits.
The openwork lid rim lets incense smoke escape as "holy breath."
Dragons on incense burners connect the earthly with the celestial.
The Twelve Zodiac Animals (十二生肖, shí'èr shēngxiāo)
The gilded relief figures on the belly of the burner depict animals of the Chinese zodiac: ox, tiger, dog, pig, and others are visible.
This places the object in a cosmological frame — the cycle of time, karma and rebirth.
The three legs in the form of animal feet refer to the classical ding (鼎) — the ritual bronze vessel from the Zhou dynasty.
Three legs = the stability of heaven, earth and humanity (三才, sāncái).
Taotie masks as handles
The dragon/monster heads on the sides (handles) are taotie (饕餮) — mythical beings that appear on Shang dynasty bronzes (ca. 1600–1046 BC).
Symbol of protection and the devouring of evil.
Seller's Story
With more than 25 years of experience, we personally travel through China, Tibet, and Nepal to select authentic devotional art and ritual objects.
Each piece is carefully chosen for its cultural value, craftsmanship, and story.
Fast shipping and professional packaging - Each object is expertly packed to guarantee safe delivery
We always offer combined shipping on our auctions.
Note: You can only combine items within the same auction. If you wish to purchase multiple items from different auctions, pay for one item first and then send us a message so we can reduce the shipping costs on the other item.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Era
1900-2000
Weight
400 g
Title additional information
the zodiac
Number of objects
1
Material
Bronze
Country of origin
China
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
13.5 cm
Width
11 cm
Depth
9 cm
Estimated period
1980-1990
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