The Knox - Incense Museum

Museum

In our 1st Incense Cone Museum you will find incense cones and packaging from the Wilhelminian period around 1865, when incense cones were a recognized remedy. 

Here you can learn interesting facts about the history of burning incense from faraway countries and cultures, processed raw materials and ingredients, as well as information about the production of our KNOX incense cones.

Opening hours:

Knox sales exhibition

Our entire range – from traditional Christmas to floral and fruity incense fragrances – can be purchased all year round in our small, lovingly furnished shop.

In addition you can get your hands on one of our genuine Erzgebirge smokers, decoration articles and the popular „Herrnhut Stars“.

Our well-trained staff will be happy to advise you.

The History of Smoking

Incense and traditional explosive gun power have similar core ingredients that are in an entirely different concentration: high quality charcoal that is more flammable than fuel, saltpetre as a catalyst for the combustion. In addition, all sorts of herbs, resins and fragrance oils are added to the incense cones. In the eyes of the Roman's, many of the aromatic substances possessed healing quality and as such, the dealer of fragrances simultaneously functioned as doctor and chemist.

The technical revolution of the 19th century  brought the steam engine which is run with coal that produced smoke and soot when consumed in fire. Fire, smoke and steam became synonyms for the new „technical age“ with its locomotives and steam engines, its steam boats and the augmented pace of work and life.

„Therapeutic incense creations“ for all sorts of illnesses played a significant role in the medicine of the 18th century. Restricting illnesses and epidemics by using smoke was associated with the belief that pathogens were airborne and accompanied by an unpleasant smell. It was also believed that one could avert the risk of infection by banishing bad smells with the help of smoke or pleasant fragrances.

Smoke: Lighter than air, it connects the earth with the heavens, man with divinity. The smoke rises and connects that below with that above. Does it not follow that smoke is therefore well suited for influencing human life in a mythical respect?

The smoke from the stove, of the home stood for hospitality and a homely feeling. The rising smoke signalled from afar that one would soon arrive home. Workers and craftsmen smoked a pipe while working. Even workers in cottage industries and toy makers were „under steam“ – the enjoyment of tobacco varieties is also said to dampen the appetite.

„In the holy scripture, smoke is compared with human life for various purposes:

1. Because of inflammation. Fire, when it exacts its power on wood, straw or brush, which it ignites and burns, then smoke and steam follow. Since God's anger consumed the fall from grace of our fore fathers, he afflicted the life of man such that smoke should arise and speed his mortal journey, as Moses…says: Your anger is that which consumes us in this way...
2. Because of ascendance and spread. When the cooper, for instance, pitches a cask, the smoke billows upward, fills an entire alley, climbs up to the heavens feinting as if to become something high and lofty; such is the ascent of the life of man climbing higher and higher and some do ascend to lofty posts,..., and yet, as the smoke is of scant consistence, only a vapour, such is the life of man: He ascends likewise as loftily, as he desires, but remains mere vanity,...
3. Because of dissipation. Once the smoke has reached its highest point and begins to spread outwards, it is then dispersed by the wind such that one soon loses sight of it: and such is the life of man, once it seems to have risen to his loftiest perch, he has reached his end...
4. Because of searing. That cured with smoke, loseth all moisture and becometh dry and brittle, such is it man's custom to hang fish and meat in smoke so it becomes brittle and hard enough: so once the life of man ascendeth to a lofty age so it becomes brittle, its vital strengths dry, it wrinkles as one sees in the elderly,...
5. Because of burning and detriment to the eyes. Smoke is vexatious and burns the eyes that they often overflow: such is the life of man full of toil and misfortune plaguing and burning us that our eyes often overflow and we shed burning tears…and as such, the toils of the life of man mimic to the allegory of smoke.“

Zedler, 1741