Antique Incense Burners (Best Choices)

The market offers a wide variety of antique incense burners, each possessing its own distinct characteristics and features.

If you’re interested in purchasing an antique incense holder, it’s vital to have a general understanding of their characteristics to ensure that you make the right selection.

In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the finest antique incense burners and delve into important considerations to keep in mind.

Also, brass incense burners are, as you probably know, among the oldest and most interesting antique burners. We’ll discuss some of them in this article too. 

Quick Picks:

Best Overall	The Most Interesting	Branded Product

Antique Incense Holders (Burners)

Lotus Flower Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Secret for Longevity Copper Bronze Antique Incense Burner
	OWXINI Lotus Incense Burner Set Handmade Censer Bowl

Shaped like lotus flowers, these highly ornate burners remind me of Chinese emperor’s crowns. In a copper bronze metallic, the lids are exquisitely cut in bird and flower forms.

Inside are removable holders that can hold an incense stick or a coil. They can be removed for cleaning, or to use the burner for cones or powder on charcoal.

They are both quite small, just 3 inches in height, so are decorative but not intrusive.

Abalone Shell Stand

Most Natural:

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	New Age Smudges & Herbs® Natural Abalone Shell & Wooden Stand

This is a simple and interesting item, consisting of a natural abalone shell on a wooden stand.

The shell is in its natural state, layered inside with mother-of-pearl, and the stand is bleached poplar wood, with a driftwood appearance like pieces I might find on the beach.

It is suitable for burning resin or sage herbs. Because they are all natural without staining or polishing, the colours and woodgrain can vary, making each piece unique.

Golden Tibetan Burner

Most Elegant:

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Crescendo & Co Golden Tibetan Incense Burner Holder

Decorated in a stunning purple and gold, the royal colors, this round box shaped burner is inspired by Tibetan Buddhist design, complete with auspicious symbols.

To protect it’s delicate beauty, inside it has a metal tray to hold charcoal tablets for burning resin or powder.

It also comes with a small fire-proof mat to sit inside the burner, to protect it when burning coils or cones.

Vintage Incense Holder

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Feyarl Vintage Incense Burner

At first glance I found that this burner appears similar to the well-known Faberge Egg. It’s in a high-quality bronze alloy, decorated with a floral design.

It has a hinged top, and opens to reveal an inner tray to collect ash from coils or cones, and this can be removed for cleaning.

Antique Chinese Dragon Box Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Walfront Antique Bronze Copper Dragon Incense Burner

This beautiful item could easily be a jewellery box or for trinkets, as well as for burning incense.

Made in a highly polished gold bronze, the box is adorned with dragons on the lid and inscribed into the side panels.

It sits on four ornamental legs and although it is not a genuine antique, it has an ancient weathered look that I find irresistible and tactile, as if it has passed through many hands over time.

Cast Iron Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	New Age Cast Iron Incense Burner

With the look of an old cooking pot from the hearth fire of a Chinese peasant’s cottage, this simple yet unusual incense burner is purely functional rather than decorative.

It has a wooden handle, just like a cooking pot but in miniature, and is just over 2 inches tall.

It is hand made in black cast iron and has vents in the lid to allow smoke and air to pass through when burning resin or powders on charcoal.

Tibetan Stupa Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	EASTCODE Rare Old Antique Tibet Stupa Incense Burner

In Tibetan Buddhism a stupa is a small cone shaped building, used as a burial place or a receptacle for religious objects.

This burner, in handcrafted silver alloy, is in the shape of a stupa and even has a small statue of Buddha inset into the center, like a shrine.

The top part is removable so that incense cones or coils can be burned inside.

This is almost a sacred object, and as such is perfect for meditation or for ceremonial purposes.

Two Burners on Stands

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	QTQHOME Brass Censer Antique Hollow Incense Burner

The Most Interesting:

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Funmaker Dragon and Phoenix Incense Burner

The first one is a simple round bowl with lid, on a round rustic wood stand. It is in brass and has a carved vented lid for the smoke to rise.

The second burner is also a round box with an intricately carved lid, and it sits on a square sandalwood stand, almost like an altar.

It is in a highly polished solid copper metal and is decorated with images of a phoenix. I can see the bird rising majestically from the flames, as the smoke rises from the burner.

Tibetan Silver Ball Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	EASTCODE Rare Old Antique Tibet Dragon Ball Incense Burner

The globe shape of this burner is actually crafted in the shape of entwining dragons, sitting on a plinth.

The whole piece is made from silver, aged with an antique appearance and I could easily mistake it for a genuine antique.

When the globe shape is lifted off, it is seen that the plinth is hollow to allow incense to be burned inside.

The dragon ball is replaced and the incense smoke rises through the dragons.

Wooden Stick Holder

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Kasa Style Wood Double Incense Sticks Holder Burner

This holder is a simple boat or canoe shape with rounded ends. It is in a stained wood and looks like a burner a Chinese family would use in an old village.

I like the basic design, no ornamentation, just a minimalist feel.

It can hold two incense sticks, one at either end of the boat, leaning inwards so that the ash falls in to the body of the burner.

Chinese Antique Head Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	LAOJUNLU Antique Copper Collection Dharma Incense Burner

Bodhidharma (Dámó/Daruma) is an important figure in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, often called the “Father of Zen Buddhism”.

This burner is in the shape of a stylized Bodhidharma head, made in bronze.

It has ancient Chinese symbols on the back of the head, and sits on a bronze tray.

The head is hollow, and the incense whether cone, coil or resin on charcoal is placed on the tray and the smoke rises through the head.

The symbols on the back of the head are cut into the metal to release the smoke from the incense, and the mouth is also open to allow fumes to pass through.

I was impressed by the authenticity and unusual nature of this burner, and I would certainly add it to a collection of fascinating burners.

Brass Antique Incense Burners (Holders)

Hanging Censer with Chain

Best Overall:

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Gold Tone Over Brass Hanging Censer with Chain

As used in religious ceremonies and rituals, this burner is most suitable for burning frankincense or sacred herbs. Made in a gold plated brass, it is cut with a floral design.

The lid has a small hole in the top to hold a single incense stick, and the lid is vented to allow smoke to pass through from the burning incense inside.

Dragon Cone Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Antique Brass Incense Burner

A simple round bowl with an ornate lid, decorated with both phoenix and dragons, it is suitable for cone, coils and resin.

I am always interested in the use of the phoenix in the design, rising from the fire as the smoke rises from the burner.

Brass Aladdin Lamp Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	PARIJAT HANDICRAFT Brass Aladdin Genie Lamps Incense Burners

I remember the story from my childhood, how Aladdin found an old lamp, and when he polished it, he summoned the genie.

This exotic little lamp is already highly polished, in a decorated brass.

It is in the classic oil-lamp shape, the hinged top lifts up to put incense inside, and the smoke flows out of the spout of the lamp.

Lotus Incense Holder

Best Branded Product:

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	LAOJUNLU Brass Lotus Flower Incense Burner

In Buddhist symbolism, the lotus represents purity of the body and mind.

This burner in aged-look brass is in the shape of a simple lotus flower, and when used in meditation will bring peace to the soul.

Update: As of January 18, 2023, the incense burner mentioned above is currently not available online. As an alternative, you may want to consider this incense burner which has similar features.

Mini Brass Burner

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	Decor Antique Small Incense Burner

This little burner is only big enough to hold one cone or one incense stick, and is in an antique looking polished brass.

On observation, the wonderful thing about it I found was that the small, intricate carved design around the bowl is in fact representations of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac.

This makes such a small burner quite a precious item, bringing good fortune to the household.

Traditional Chinese Box Burner

Most Classically Styled:

Picture	Product Link [*Amazon]
	LAOJUNLU Brass Incense Burner Antique Bronze

Made in antique bronze, I recognized this small box immediately as a traditional Chinese household item.

It’s clean lines and simplicity of design are classic features of Chinese objects through the centuries.

It is an open box, suitable for most forms of incense, with supports under the base to raise it off furniture. Handcrafted and hand polished. It proves that sometimes the most attractive pieces are the least ornate.

Parting Words

Incense holds a special place in my heart, as I am captivated by its aroma.

For those not familiar with the incense world, finding the right incense burners can be a challenge.

In my experience, I have come across many incense burners, and I can attest that locating antique incense burners can be particularly difficult.

Incense burning is an ancient practice with a rich history, and the art of creating incense burners is an age-old tradition passed down through generations.

Antique incense burners serve not only to burn incense sticks but also as decorative pieces.

To discover the finest antique incense burners, one must consider factors such as material, design, and functionality. One should look for burners that boast an aesthetic design and have a prolonged burning time.