Gourd Bottle

Gourd incense container. Undecorated gourd is round and squat, dark orange in colour, with a woven cord looped several times around the neck and secured by knots incorporating a small ivory ring. Cord is held in place by black threads that cross on the container’s bottom and are tied around the cord in four places. A second cord is looped around the first on the container’s shoulder and is fitted through a ring in the ivory stopper which closes the container at top. Cord is then tied around a large ivory ring with Japanese characters inscribed on both sides and filled with a dark pigment. Part b is a carrying bag in dark purple silk with a tan coloured floral motif on front and drawstring closure.