T he present incense burner, elegantly modelled with an undulating mouthrim to simulate the form of a blooming mallow, is highly unusual. Mallow shape is not uncommon on bowls and dishes, but it is extremely rare to find it on an incense burner. The exquisite bluish-green kinuta glaze as seen on the present vessel was particularly valued in Japan, where the incense ceremony kodo plays a highly important role.

Compare a tripod incense burner with a barbed rim and sides, published in Ge ci ya ji. Gugong Bowuyuan zhencang ji chutu Geyao cigi huicui / Selection of Ge Ware. The Palace Museum collects ion and Archaeological Discoveries, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2017, pl. 108.

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，極為罕稀。此爐釉色凝潤，青中微泛藍，合符日本「砧青釉」之雅名。其江戶時代漆盒尚存，想必在日本香道儀式上，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。