Alice Tacheny x Blackbird - Incense Altar in Soot


A monument to things that are not made from plastic. Light an incense cone and ask Mother Nature/Gaia for forgiveness for the water bottles, plastic bags, and cigarette butts we polluted her with.  Our creator is angry and we must correct our behavior before she punishes us further. You get the idea.


MATERIALS: cast concrete and mirror polished copper

INCLUDES: 1 altar + 1 sample of Tilde incense


ABOUT ALICE TACHENY: Alice Tacheny (pronounced "tash - nee") founded her studio in 2012. Her collection of furniture, accessories and sculptural objects embody clarity of form and understated grace. Working out of her northern California studio, Alice experiments with raw materials and converging forms to create pieces with substance and permanence. Each piece is made in the San Francisco Bay area, either through collaboration with local craftspeople or in the studio.

 Q: How do I burn an incense pyre?          

A: First find a heatproof, non-flammable container such as a seashell, clay bowl, a rock or a device designed to burn incense cones. Place the cone in or on the container and light the tip of the cone with a lighter or match. Allow cone to burn for 10 to 15 seconds until a red ember is visible and then blow out. Your cone should smoke and continue to burn on its own. If it does not stay lit, try again.

 Q: How long will a cone of incense scent my room?         

A: Many hours depending upon your room size, ventilation such as AC or drafts. For larger rooms, burn two or three cones at once.

 Q: My incense cone didn't burn to the end. What do I do?              

A: First off, some mysteries of science and chemistry are never to be solved. Beyond that here are some helpful hints and tips. #1 Fire requires air. Try placing your cones on sand, salt or dry non-flammable soil to increase circulation. Also, try blowing on the cone a bit in the beginning to build up a larger ember #2 Made sure your cones didn't get wet or think about if the air is very humid. Water prevents fire. #3 Relight the cone. You can do this by holding the cone with tweezers for safety while you are lighting. #4 Break off the tip of a new cone. Sometimes the cone needs a larger ember to get started in life and to stay burning. #6 Don't let the flame run too long or too short before blowing out the cone. #7 Email for help.

 Q: Which of your scents are for men and which are for women?        

A: We believe that scent is a personal expression of your individuality and it's truly up to the individual to select scents that are right for them based on their skin type and personal preference. This is one of the main reasons that we offer all of our scents in sample sizes for purchase.

Q: Why can't I smell my Pipe Bomb Perfume?         

A: Pipe Bomb contains so few molecules that the nose may become anosmic to the scent. Read more about it here.

Q: My bottle of Pipe Bomb has white crystals around the sprayer. Is it defective?       

A: Pipe Bomb is what is called a "molecule perfume". One of the molecules it contains starts out in the crystal form before being diluted with alcohol. When the alcohol dries down the crystals go back to their solid state. You can wipe down the crystals with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol.

 Q: Where can I smell your incense and perfume in person?      

A: You can either purchase an incense sampler pack or the Eau de Parfum sampler mix. Or you can check our retailer page for a local vendor near you.

Q: How can I sell Blackbird products in my store? 

A: Contact for inquiry.