A CELADON-GLAZED LOBED INCENSE BURNERSong DynastyThe truncated lobed body supported on three slightly splayed legs, the shoulder with a horizontal rib intersecting vertical flanges associated with the mouth rim stimulating the form of a blooming mallow, rising to a short neck and an everted rim, applied throughout with an unctuous sea-green glaze thinning to a pale green at the ridges, the bottom of each leg left unglazed revealing the pale ware burnt russet-orange in the firing, cover and Japanese wood box.11.5cm (4 1/2in) diam.Provenance: 宋 青瓷葵花形鬲式爐Provenance:Collection of Arima Raitei, the Chief Priest of the Kinkakuji, Kyoto來源：京都金閣寺住持有馬頼底舊藏The present incense burner, elegantly modelled with an undulating mouth rim to simulate the form of a blooming mallow, is highly unusual. Mallow shape is not umon on bowls and dishes, but it is extremely rare to find it on an incense burner. The exquisite bluish-greenkinuta glaze as seen on the present vessel was particularly valued in Japan, where the incense ceremonykodo plays a highly important role.Compare a tripod incense burner with a barbed rim and sides, published inGe ci ya ji. Gugong Bowuyuan zhencang ji chutu Geyao cigi huicui [Selection of Ge Ware. The Palace Museum Collection and Archaeological Discoveries], Palace Museum, Beijing, 2017, pl. 108.此爐的造型是仿照周代青銅器鬲形式的變奏，呈十八瓣葵花形開口，折沿外侈，短頸，圓肩，扁腹，口沿直至腹底凸起的豎棱與花棱形的開口相呼應，逼真地模仿了銅器出筋的装飾效果，肩部淺淺現出一道微凸的弦紋，腹下承以三足，足底呈深褐色的「鐵足」，整器造型小巧別緻。香爐口沿巧作葵花之形，此式僅偶見於青釉盌或盤器上，但用諸香爐則極為罕稀。此爐釉色細膩，青中微泛藍，合符日本「砧青釉」之雅名。其識款原裝木盒尚存，想必曾在日本香道儀式上，為人惜慕。相關花式三足爐例，見《哥瓷雅集：故宮博物院珍藏及出土哥窰瓷器薈萃》，北京，2017年，圖版108。