China beautiful pair of gold gilt silver fragrance incense holders, Qing Dynasty, 19th century.

Flowers and fragrances were important to Chinese nobility. These handsomely crafted, highly detailed vessels perfect to hold and touch , would have undoubtedly carried flowers or other aromatic substances to create a welcoming ambiance in the after life.

Fine condition with remnant gold gilt over silver and traces of green verdigris from appropriate age. Note the Liao imperial bird of paradise motif on handle and at base of bulbs.

Rare find.

Dimensions: Each 14 inches long and 5 inches high

The Liao dynasty style (907–1125), in Chinese history, dynasty formed by the nomadic Khitan tribes in much of what now constitutes the provinces of the Northeast region (Manchuria) and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. Adopting the Chinese dynastic name of Liao, the Khitan created a Dual government to rule their conquests. The southern government, which ruled the Chinese parts of the Empire, was modeled on the administration of the Tang dynasty (618–907), which the Khitan had helped destroy. The northern government, which was set up on a tribal basis, ruled over the nomads of the Inner Asian steppes. Traditionally, the start of the Liao period is given as 907, the last year of the Tang, but Chinese historians often place it at 916, when Yelü Yi formally established himself as emperor.

Provenance: old Hong Kong collection

Lifetime Guarantee- all of our Asian works of art come with our lifetime guarantee of authenticity.

We have been dealing in authentic Japanese and Chinese Fine art, antiquities, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. The president personally travels to Japan and China each year to meet his network partners who assist him in finding best examples. He personally inspects each antique work of art to ensure its old age, authenticity and quality condition. After accumulating a group, they are imported to Vermont and Maine in large containers. This method keeps shipping costs low and enables us to offer them to you at reasonable prices. We carefully pack and ship to clients all-over the USA and at reasonable shipping costs.