Japonista
Heavy Bronze Shishi Censer with Cloisonné-Style Enamel Floral Dome Lid, Tripod Koro, 29 cm, 5.3 kg
Heavy Bronze Shishi Censer with Cloisonné-Style Enamel Floral Dome Lid, Tripod Koro, 29 cm, 5.3 kg
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This piece travels in a crate or by freight rather than standard mail, and may need careful dismantling before it can be packed. The shipping shown at checkout is an estimate. Japonista reserves the right to determine the final handling, crating and freight cost when your order is received, according to the piece, the destination and carrier conditions at that time.
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Guardian beast, flowering dome and tripod vessel meet in this weighty bronze koro of some 5.3 kg. A shishi keeps watch from the summit of a cloisonné-style enamel lid, high-relief beasts circle the patinated body, and the whole carries the ceremonial gravity of an altar censer with the presence of a sculpture.
The Piece
This shishi-lidded censer (koro) in bronze-toned metal is distinguished by a cloisonné-style enamel floral dome and a body wrapped in high-relief guardian-beast narrative. It reads as old-collection decorative art, an altar-adjacent bronze that performs equally as centerpiece sculpture.
The iconography is protective and auspicious. Shishi are threshold guardians in Japanese culture, while the relief carving and tripod footing echo a ritual-vessel vocabulary shared across East Asia. The enameled dome adds color and courtly ornament against the darker patinated metal beneath, and the substantial weight, approximately 5.3 kg, gives the piece a physical gravity that is part of its appeal.
Details
- Material: Bronze-toned metal with patina; cloisonné-style enamel floral dome lid
- Form: Shishi-lidded tripod censer (koro) with high-relief guardian-beast body
- Measurements: Approx. 29 cm W × 29 cm H
- Weight: Approx. 5.3 kg
Condition
- Pre-owned antique-category object; age-related rubs and tone variation may be present.
- Lid fit, leg stability and the enamel surface (chips or hairlines) should be confirmed from the photographs.
Authenticity & Care
Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.
Delivery from Japan
Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.
Considered offers are welcome through Send an Offer, and each one is reviewed personally. Pieces over $1,000 may be reserved over several payments with Layaway Privilege™.
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