Antique Bronze Shishi Incense Burner with Openwork Jewel Ball | Guardian Lion Censer | Meiji–Taisho Japan (Attributed) | 33 cm Tall | 6.6 kg

A single guardian lion, modeled with arresting musculature and a coiled, flame-like tail, stands in vigilant poise over an openwork sphere. This is the shishi: the temple and shrine threshold-protector rendered here as a functional object of ritual atmosphere, a censer intended for fragrant smoke and slow, deliberate burning.

The form speaks in two languages at once. As sculpture, it belongs to the long East Asian lineage of lion guardians whose job is to face outward and defend the precinct. As object, it belongs to the lived interior of devotion: a vessel made to hold charcoal and incense, producing a veil of scent that marks space as set apart. In the Japanese imagination, the shishi is not merely decorative; it is an emblem of protection, courage, and the discipline of watchfulness.

The openwork “jewel ball” is more than an ornament. In shishi imagery, the ball can be read as tama: the precious orb of power, fortune, and spiritual authority. In practical terms, openwork allows airflow and controlled diffusion of smoke, turning symbolic geometry into functional engineering.

Surface character suggests age and handling: a darkened bronze skin with natural patination, softened edges, and the small irregularities that gather on honest cast metal across decades. This is the sort of object that reads well at distance (silhouette, stance, tail rhythm) and rewards close viewing (tooling marks, transitions in the mane, the tension of the jaw).

Because this is a single shishi (not a pair), it displays beautifully as a standalone guardian on a low cabinet, an altar shelf, or a study sideboard. It also offers a collector-friendly bridge between categories: shrine-adjacent protective iconography, incense culture, and small-scale Japanese bronze craft.

Key Physical Notes (From Source Listing)

• Overall size: approximately 25 cm (W) x 17 cm (D) x 33 cm (H)
• Weight: approximately 6.6 kg
• Condition: age wear and surface variation consistent with vintage/antique bronze; please review images for exact state

Who Is This Figure? (Micro Glossary)

• Shishi / Komainu: lion-like guardians placed at shrine and temple entrances as protectors against harm and misfortune.
• Tama (precious orb): a symbolic “jewel” associated with power, prosperity, and spiritual potency; often shown as a ball beneath a paw.
• Censer: a vessel used to burn incense; in East Asian practice, incense marks reverence, purification, and attentive presence.

Confidence & Verification Notes

• Period attribution is an educated placement based on form, finish, and typical market conventions; treat as “Meiji–Taisho era (attributed)” unless maker marks or documentation are provided.
• Material is assumed bronze (typical for this type); confirm via weight, magnet test (should not attract), and close inspection of casting and patina.