Lot 69 唐 銅鏤空香囊

唐 銅鏤空香囊

GBP 10,000

10,000 - 20,000 GBP

未知

Good condition with just two minor 1cm cracks near the rim. Typical oxidisation and other general surface wear.

If a condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot, it is for guidance purposes only. Such condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alterations, or adaptations because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather a condition report is a statement of subjective, qualified opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For these reasons, any such condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. Prospective buyers should also refer to the Guide for Buyers at Auction which includes important notices concerning the type of property in this sale.

self-leveling pan, Japanese wood box and stand (6)
Diameter 12.9 cm, 5⅛ in.
来源：日本私人收藏
2007年得自京都
图录
说明：Tang dynasty spherical censers, known as xiangnang, were sophisticated incense burners designed as openwork metal spheres with an internal gimbal-like suspension system that kept the burning incense upright regardless of how the outer shell moved. See the article written by Bing Huang, ‘The Religious and Technological History of the Tang Dynasty Spherical Incense Burner’, Religions, 2022, 13, no. 482, where the author discusses its development and illustrates the famous gilt-silver examples excavated at Famen Temple, fig. 1, and preserved in the Shosoin, Todai-ji Temple, Nara, fig. 2.
Beyond their practical use, spherical incensers had important religious and cultural significance. Incense burning in Tang Buddhism and elite society was associated with ritual practice, refinement, and communication with the spiritual realm. The article argues that the technology embodied in these censers spread westward through intercultural exchanges along trade networks, influencing related devices in the Islamic world and later Venice, making the Tang spherical censer notable not only as a religious artifact but also as an important example of early technological innovation.