Incense Stick Holder - Blessed Hand

The form: The holder is a cast-metal piece shaped as an open hand with the palm facing the viewer. At the centre of the palm is an engraved eye; the hand and the surrounding fields carry floral detailing. The overall figure is the Hamsa - one of the most widely distributed decorative motifs across the Mediterranean, Levantine, North African and Khaleeji craft regions, found across centuries of metalwork, textiles and jewellery in those cultural geographies.

The material and finish: Cast metal with a lightly aged finish - the surface deliberately not polished to a mirror but treated to read as worked rather than new. The specific casting alloy is not detailed by the supplier; commercial pieces in this category are typically brass or a brass-zinc alloy chosen for casting workability and the warm tone the metal takes when polished or patinated.

Function: The holder sits flat on its base; the incense stick slots into a small aperture, held at a slight angle. As the stick burns down, ash falls onto the surface of the holder where it can be wiped or tapped clear. Sized for 10cm bamboo-less sticks in the Stupa range or other stick formats.

1. Place the holder on a heat-safe surface.
2. Light an incense stick at the tip; blow out the flame.
3. Insert the cool end of the stick into the holder's aperture.
4. The stick burns at a slight angle; ash falls onto the holder's surface.
5. Allow the metal to cool before handling after use.
6. Tap or wipe ash from the holder when cool.

Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth between sessions. Avoid prolonged contact with water or strong cleaning agents - both can affect the aged finish. The 12 × 9cm footprint is sized for compact placement on a desk, shelf or side table.

• Form: Open hand with central engraved eye and floral detailing · the Hamsa motif
• Function: Single-stick incense holder · for 10cm bamboo-less sticks
• Material: Cast metal · lightly aged finish
• Specific alloy: Not detailed by supplier · typically brass or brass-alloy for pieces in this category
• Dimensions: 12 cm (L) × 9 cm (W)
• Weight: ~70g
• Care: Soft dry cloth · avoid moisture and strong cleaners · always use on a heat-safe surface

The Hamsa motif is one of the most widely distributed decorative forms in the wider Mediterranean and Indian Ocean trade region. Across the Levant it appears in metalwork, textiles, and jewellery; across North Africa in tiled architecture and household pieces; across Anatolia in tin and copperwork; across the Khaleeji region in cast and engraved brass. The hand shape itself - palm forward, fingers symmetric or slightly stylised - is the consistent feature; the central eye and floral detailing are decorative elaborations that vary by region and workshop. Pieces in this style have been made for household use across these geographies for centuries.

At 12 × 9cm and ~70g this is a small, table-scale piece - sized for a desk, shelf, or side table rather than a floor or mantle position. The lightly aged finish reads less as polished display object and more as worked household piece, which sits comfortably with the brand's preference for materials that look used over materials that look new.