A Chinese silver spherical incense container

These censers, originally from the Tang dynasty, appear to have had a variety of uses, both religious and secular. They were hung on clothing to scent the air around the wearer, as well as freshen bedding and tents. They were also used to repel insects. See E. H. Schafer, The Golden Peaches of Samarkand, University of California, 1963, for a discussion on the use of aromatics, incense and perfume.

A comparable insence container from the Alice and Pierre Uldry collection is in the collection of the Rietberg Museum in Zürich and illustrated in Museum Rietberg Zürich, Chinesisches Gold und Silber: Die Sammlung Pierre Uldry, Zürich 1994, No. 201.