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A FINE AND RARE CARVED WOOD ‘BAKU’ TEMPLE KORO (INCENSE BURNER), 18TH CENTURY, A TREASURED ITEM FROM THE TAIGAN-JI TEMPLE
奥地利
06月12日 晚上7点 开拍 / 06月10日 下午3点 截止委托
拍品描述
A FINE AND RARE CARVED WOOD ‘BAKU’ TEMPLE KORO (INCENSE BURNER), 18TH CENTURY, A TREASURED ITEM FROM THE TAIGAN-JI TEMPLE

Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Carved from a single piece of wood to depict a baku reclining with its head turned back to form a compact composition. The movement producing folds throughout the neck, the mouth slightly opened smiling benevolently, with large wrinkly ears, and short trunk. The interior partly hollowed, fitted with a bronze incense container, and with a wood cover.

Inscriptions: To the underside: Taiganji takara, junana-dai […] [A treasure belonging to Taigan-ji Temple, the 17th generation head of the temple […].

LENGTH 28.6 cm

Provenance: Honeychurch Antiques Ltd., Hong Kong, 1987. Private collection of Eva and Aubrey Sweet, Melbourne, Australia, acquired from the above. The cover with a label from the Sweet collection, number ‘1351’. A copy of the invoice from Honeychurch Antiques Ltd, Hong Kong, dated 11 June 1987, and stating the purchase price of HKD 10,500 or approx. EUR 4,100 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies the lot.
Certificate of Authenticity: A copy of the certificate of authenticity, signed by Glenn R. Vessa from Honeychurch Antiques Ltd., number 1106/87, on 11 June 1987, Hong Kong, confirming the provenance and dating above, accompanies the lot.
Eva and Aubrey Sweet devoted over six decades to the formation of a distinguished private collection of Asian art, with particular strength in Chinese jade, Japanese lacquer, and netsuke. Their collecting began in the 1950s and was refined through sustained travel, scholarship, and long associations with leading dealers, curators, and artists internationally. Aubrey, a Melbourne physician who also studied acupuncture in Beijing, and Eva developed a discerning connoisseurship that balanced intuitive appreciation with systematic study, supported by an extensive reference library and active participation in scholarly circles. They acquired works of historic importance as well as contemporary pieces by artists such as Susan Wraight and Unryuan (Kitamura Tatsuo), demonstrating a commitment both to tradition and to the continuity of craft. The collection, housed in their Melbourne residence and affectionately referred to by the family as “the Museum,” stands as a testament to their lifelong dedication to the aesthetic and cultural values of Asian art.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear including a few tiny nicks here and there, one tusk slightly chipped, natural age cracks, a small chip and light nibbling to the rim, and an old filled area to the underside. Presenting beautifully.

This incense burner depicts a baku, a mythological creature deeply revered in Japanese folklore as a supernatural being believed to consume nightmares and bad dreams. The wrinkled skin, tusks, and benevolent, almost smiling expression draw parallels with the imaginary elephants (sozo-no-zo) carved at Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine. These elephants were considered spiritual familiars of Fugen Bosatsu, the bodhisattva of wisdom and compassion, and were often featured in temple sculpture and architectural ornamentation. In this context, the baku serves as a symbol of protection, offering both spiritual guidance and a ward against evil influences.

Auction comparison:
Compare a closely related polychromed wood censer of a baku, dated late 18th - early 19th century, 40 cm long, at Sotheby’s, Worlds within Worlds. Works from the Collection of Peter Petrou, 21 September 2021, London, lot 61 (sold for GBP 6,300 or approx. EUR 9,100 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

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