LES THÈMES
Antique Floral Mother of Pearl Vanity Shell Incense Holder
Carved from a single luminous shell, this delicate antique piece dates to Japan’s Taishō period and celebrates the beauty of the natural world through finely pierced floral carving. Each shell is entirely unique, revealing soft iridescence with warm apricot undertones that shift beautifully in changing light. The openwork decoration depicts a graceful botanical composition—one featuring a stylized thistle in bloom (Shell 1), the other an elegant arrangement of flowering leaves (Shell2 )—carefully hand-carved into the nacre. Originally intended as small vanity or trinket dish, it lends itself effortlessly to contemporary rituals. Rest it on a bedside table for treasured jewellery, beside the basin for rings, or allow the pierced carving to cradle a single stick of incense while the shell catches the falling ash.
—
Product Details
Material: Mother of Pearl
Antique Condition: Exceptional
Origin & Era: Japan, Early-20th Century
Shell 1 Dimensions: 9.7cm L x 8cm W x 1.8cm H
Shell 2 Dimensions: 9.8cm L x 9.6cm W x 2.3cm H
Weight: ca 32 gram
Curated as part of Les Thèmes ‘Nacre Interlude’ collection, July 2026.
LES THÈMES
Antique Floral Mother of Pearl Vanity Shell Incense Holder
Carved from a single luminous shell, this delicate antique piece dates to Japan’s Taishō period and celebrates the beauty of the natural world through finely pierced floral carving. Each shell is entirely unique, revealing soft iridescence with warm apricot undertones that shift beautifully in changing light. The openwork decoration depicts a graceful botanical composition—one featuring a stylized thistle in bloom (Shell 1), the other an elegant arrangement of flowering leaves (Shell2 )—carefully hand-carved into the nacre. Originally intended as small vanity or trinket dish, it lends itself effortlessly to contemporary rituals. Rest it on a bedside table for treasured jewellery, beside the basin for rings, or allow the pierced carving to cradle a single stick of incense while the shell catches the falling ash.
—
Product Details
Material: Mother of Pearl
Antique Condition: Exceptional
Origin & Era: Japan, Early-20th Century
Shell 1 Dimensions: 9.7cm L x 8cm W x 1.8cm H
Shell 2 Dimensions: 9.8cm L x 9.6cm W x 2.3cm H
Weight: ca 32 gram
Curated as part of Les Thèmes ‘Nacre Interlude’ collection, July 2026.
Image 1 of 12
Image 2 of 12
Image 3 of 12
Image 4 of 12
Image 5 of 12
Image 6 of 12
Image 7 of 12
Image 8 of 12
Image 9 of 12
Image 10 of 12
Image 11 of 12
Image 12 of 12