Crescent Moon incense or flower Pin

At a glance

- Hand-forged darkened steel by Makoto Kawakami, independent metal artist
- Boat-shaped tray with raised tips; holds one incense stick, ash collects below
- Each piece unique; colour shifts and hammer marks vary with every firing

The surface of this incense holder tells you how it was made. Silvery flashes catch the light where the hammer struck; heat-tint blues pool in the hollows where fire touched the steel. No two pieces look the same.

Made by metal artist Makoto Kawakami (河上真琴), each holder is forged and hammered by hand into a long, shallow tray with gently raised tips, suggesting a crescent moon or a leaf curled at its edges. A central rod holds one incense stick upright whilst ash falls neatly into the dish below. The darkened steel is not painted or coated; the colour comes entirely from heat and hammer work, which means the piece carries a quiet record of its own making. At 17cm long it has a considered presence on the shelf, substantial without being showy.

Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び) is the Japanese understanding that imperfection and impermanence are not flaws to overcome but qualities to appreciate. This piece is a good example of that idea made physical.

* Incense sticks shown in the photos are not included