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Hi, I recently purchased this censer and would be gratefully for any opinions offer on age, origin, quality etc! the base is unmarked. Tks.

This type of champlevé enameling and the shishi (lion) finial on the cover are stylistically Japanese, in my opinion. I'd speculate that your censer may date to the fourth quarter of the 19th century (late Meiji period), based on signs of wear and use. However, keep in mind that such censers and other similarly enameled wares in the form of pots, vases, lamp bases and the like also were in production for the next 50 years or more in much the same styles and patterns.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Thanks Bill, I had hastily assumed it was of Chinese origin. I had also on inspection, really thought it was cloisonné and not champlevé. How does one differ between the two. Obviously cloisonné is the application of thin wires to create fields that are filled with ground coloured glass and subsequently enameled probably a number of times to fill the field completely and champlevé is the etching carving or stamping into the metal to create the fields which are then filled with the enamel but how to differ between the two when inspecting an object? Also the enamel on my censer has black pitting all over which suggests the older technique of soldering cloisonné wiring which eventually rises to the surface and creates black spots on the surface. I will try and post a close up of the enameling later on. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Gerry

As you're aware, cloisonné, which name comes from the French "cloison" for wire, uses the latter material to form the compartments that are filled with enamels to form the cloisonné pattern.

The term "champlevé" comes from root words that mean "elevated field". In addition to being stamped into the metal form of an object, they also can be cast by the lost wax or other methods.

Since both of these enameled metal techniques result in somewhat similar looking products, it's no wonder there's confusion as to which is which.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Thanks Bill, I am relieved to discover I'm not the only one who finds it difficult to distinguish between both enameling methods. I guess in future, I will try and use my loupe more efficiently bearing in mind the information you have kindly provided.

All the best,

Gerry

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