This cylindrical incense holder made of porcelain belongs to a group of altar vessels that consist of dishes, bowls, cups and spoons. In a Peranakan home, altar vessels were used for making offerings of food, flowers and wine, and also to burn candles and incense sticks as this example did. The vessels were laid out as if they were presenting a meal to the ancestors. Porcelain of different colours were used at different altars in Peranakan homes. Yellow enamelled wares like this piece were used on the grand altar known as 'sam kai', which was installed on special occasions to worship Ting Kong, the Daoist Emperor of Heaven.
