Celadon glazed ceramic lacquer incense burner by Toshinari Ichino

"Blue glaze ceramic lacquer incense burner Mr. Toshinari Ichino"

Height: 11.5 cm Width: 12.8 cm

---

I. Work Overview: A tranquil and aromatic vessel made from celadon and lacquer

This is a ceramic lacquerware incense burner made by Ichino Toshinari, a talented artist from Tamba Tachikui. The soft egg-shaped body is covered in a pale blue-green celadon glaze reminiscent of jade. The lid placed on top is made of red clay with lacquer applied and polished to a glossy amber color, with numerous openwork holes providing a stage for the incense smoke to escape. This is a tranquil and mysterious incense burner in which the four elements of **earth, glaze, lacquer, and incense** resonate with each other.

---

II. Beauty of Color: Contrast of Jade-Colored Celadon Glaze and Candy Lacquer

Body : The celadon glaze contains slight crazing, which is characteristic of celadon, and changes from milky white to pale blue when exposed to light. When the thick glaze melts, it combines with the iron in the clay to take on a pale gray-green hue, reminiscent of the ancient Etsushu and Longquan kilns.

Lid : The red clay base is painted with three layers of transparent lacquer, then repeatedly polished and rubbed to create a saturated amber color. The openwork holes are a combination of teardrop, oval, and circular, allowing the incense smoke to diffuse softly like rising drizzle. The cool color of the celadon glaze and the warm color of the amber lacquer complement each other, creating a harmony of highs and lows that is both visually and tactile.

---

III. Explanation of techniques: The intricate process of ceramic lacquerware

Molding and bisque firing

Using red clay from the local Tanba region that is rich in iron, the body is turned on a left-handed kick wheel and a tripod cut into three sides is attached. It is bisque fired at around 800℃ to improve the adhesion of the glaze.

Glazing and firing

A thick layer of celadon glaze, whose main component is wood ash, is applied and reduced in a climbing kiln at 1,280°C. The reducing air current in the furnace reduces the iron, resulting in the blue color characteristic of celadon.

Lacquer undercoat and coating

The unglazed lid is coated with whetstone powder and raw lacquer, and then alternately coated with transparent lacquer and wood-based lacquer four times in total. Charcoal polishing is done in between coats to ensure a smooth, mirror-like shine.

Openwork

When the wood is half-dried, holes are made using an awl and a knife, and the edges are smoothed by grinding with charcoal. The hole arrangement, which has been refined over and over, optimizes the flow rate and diffusion angle of the incense.

---

IV. Shape and design: Three-legged lotus seed motifs that create a dance of incense smoke

The slightly taut body and modestly tapered rim symbolize the tranquility of celadon, like a drop of water. Meanwhile, the openwork holes in the lid feature a lotus seed pattern reminiscent of a lotus seed. Rising from the mud and giving off a fragrant scent, the lotus is a symbol of purity and enlightenment, and the sight of incense smoke rising from the holes is a visualization of paradise. The shadows cast by the three legs give the entire incense burner an even lighter and more stable feel.

---

---

VI. Use and Appreciation - Vessels that exude fragrance and light

• As an incense set : When agarwood or aloeswood is burned, the soft smoke wafting from the openwork holes will seep into the pale luster of the celadon, creating a rich and satisfying moment where your senses of sight and smell intersect.

• As an interior decoration : The minimalist design looks great not only in a Japanese-style alcove, but also on a Western-style sideboard. When lit from below with an LED light, the celadon glaze glows dimly from the gaps between the three legs, creating a mysterious shadow effect.

• Changes over time : The lacquered surface becomes more transparent and lustrous over time, and the celadon glaze crazing will mature into a more tasteful color as tiny particles of incense smoke soak into it.

---

Value as a collector's item - a rare ceramic lacquerware incense burner

This trinity of design, celadon glaze × lacquer × tripod, is extremely rare on the market and is one of Toshinari's early representative works. It will be highly valued in practical arts and crafts collections for both its academic and artistic value.

The "Celadon Glazed Ceramic Lacquer Incense Burner by Ichino Toshinari" is a gem of a piece that captures the tranquility of jade color, the warmth of candy lacquer, and the flickering of incense smoke in one vessel. When you burn the incense or simply look at it, new shadows and fragrances emerge, inviting you into a mysterious world of fragrance from your everyday space. Please bring it into your hands and enjoy the texture that grows over time, along with the spirit of "beauty and longevity."