Description:

A TWIN-HANDLED JADE CENSER AND LID, MUGHAL INDIA, 18TH CENTURY
Mughal India, 18th century

Description:
Carved from a single piece of pale celadon jade, this finely worked censer of compressed globular form rests on a short flared foot and is surmounted by a domed lid, fluted in radiating segments. The body is exquisitely incised with a symmetrical floral scroll design in low relief, echoing Mughal aesthetic ideals of naturalism and precision. The handles, carved in the form of stylised makara or floral scrolls, curl outward and down to support free-moving rings—an impressive technical feat indicative of superior workmanship.

The lustrous stone is highly polished, with subtle variations in tone and veining, enhancing the overall visual softness and refinement of the piece. Both lid and base align perfectly, underscoring the level of precision required in jade carving—an art reserved for only the most skilled lapidaries under imperial patronage. Censers such as this were prized objects of courtly opulence, associated with both ritual and perfumed leisure in Mughal palatial settings.

Dimensions: Length x Width x Height: 17 x 9 x 12cm

Comparable examples:

  • A closely related Mughal jade censer and cover sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 25 October 2022, Lot 53, for £22,100.

  • A jade incense burner of similar form and design achieved £28,750 at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 1 May 2019, Lot 122.

  • A Mughal jade censer with twin handles and scrolling floral decoration sold at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 October 2016, Lot 188, for £23,750.

Note:
Jade carving reached its zenith during the later Mughal period, when imported nephrite from Central Asia was transformed into objects of immense beauty and status. Censers held symbolic meaning in courtly culture, associated with refinement, spiritual purification, and sensuous indulgence. This piece exemplifies the delicate balance between architectural geometry and organic fluidity that defines high Mughal jade artistry.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

PLAKAS

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Bid Increments
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£100 £199 £10
£200 £499 £20
£500 £999 £50
£1,000 £1,999 £100
£2,000 £4,999 £200
£5,000 £9,999 £500
£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
£50,000 £99,999 £5,000
£100,000 £199,999 £10,000
£200,000 £499,999 £20,000
£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
£1,000,000 + £100,000