Incense Burner-Shaped Clock, c. 1933
Han culture; Shanghai, China
Bronze, wood, metal, and pa…

Clock in the Shape of a Censer

ClassificationsFurnishings-Accessories-clocks

Datec. 1933

Made AtShanghai Municipality, China, Asia

Made AtHamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Europe

MediumBronze, wood, metal, and paint

Dimensions12 × 15 × 8 in. (30.5 × 38.1 × 20.3 cm)

Credit LineGift of Yinette Yu Chang in memory of her sister, Doretta Lee Y. Nero, Bowers Museum Docent

Object number2013.23.1

DescriptionThis incense burner cast from bronze contains a German made Kienzle clock and was given to the donor’s parents as a thank you gift. As the donor recalls, her father, Fisher Y. C. Yu, was connected with the Bank of China in Shanghai. He was instrumental in getting two bronze lions cast for the front of the bank and as a thank you the bank had the incense burner / clock made along with two candlesticks and gifted them to the parents. Though they take the shape of traditional altar pieces, these items were created as decorative pieces and never meant to be used in the context of religion or worship. The concept for what the gift (clock and candlestick holders) is said to be the idea of donor’s mother, Dorothy W. Yu. The clock is marked with numbers 23532, which the donor speculates may relate to the date of manufacture May 23, 1932, a date before her family left Shanghai for the British Concession due to the war with Japan.

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