The specialists guide to Chinese antiques. » Oriental Antiques

A quick look at some beautiful antique shanxi painted furniture in unrestored form

Roger — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:45:45 +0000

During a recent buying excursion, I stumbled across these beautiful lacquered / painted armoires, from Shanxi province in Northern China. While not nearly as prized by Chinese buyers, who often prefer hardwoods like Hua li or Hong mu, the status of Shanxi painted furniture has nevertheless risen significantly over the years for its beauty and stunning colors and is a favorite of the noted Chinese collector Co La Ma.

Particularly interesting, is this close-up section of a door panel. Notice the change in color and patina which has occurred over the years? Once covered by a brass plate which was removed/lost within the last twenty or thirty years, (possibly during the great leap forward), the left side (where the colors are beautiful and subtle) has survived the years, protected by the brass or iron plate that would have originally been there. The colors on the right are faded and muted by comparison. The effect of daily life, pollution, coal dust and years of rough handling and exposure to the elements is clearly visible.

And yet, it remains beautiful. Known as “Bu Wen Qi” or “Da Qi,” the process used in this style of Chinese lacquering is both complex and unique. The first step would have involved covering the raw wood construction with a base layer of hemp, horsehair, straw or other fabric depending on the period in which it was made. This allows for the wood frame construction to shift to some degree without damaging the rigid upper layer of hardened lacquer. On older pieces this sometimes still visible in damaged areas and can be a good indicator of age.

The second step is the application of an even layer of gesso known as “ni zi, ” consisting of plaster mixed with pigs blood (which must be applied within a set period of time lest it spoil). This provides the base material and smooths any impurities or flaws in the wood, straw or fabric below. The third step is multiple coats of natural resin based lacquer, with vibrant red or “ink black” being the two most commonly used colors. Each coat of lacquer must be dried, and carefully wet sanded by hand with a very fine abrasive paper before receiving the next coat. The process is then repeated several times with even the most common pieces receiving at least five to seven coats, until the surface becomes smooth, glassy and mirror like. Finally in the forth step, an artist carefully hand paints motifs ranging from flowers and vases to city scenes to people.

Restoration of such pieces requires a extremely skilled craftsman in order to avoid further damage to the piece and to restore it to its former beauty.

This content comes from The specialists guide to Chinese antiques. located at http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/ For more articles please visit The specialists guide to Chinese antiques. - A unique insiders peek at the world of Chinese antiques & reproductions, Asian culture, exotic decor and oriental-inspired design from the far east. Everything you ever wanted to know!

A to Z: Restoring chinese wood carvings, wooden screens and carved architectural elements.

Roger — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:43:03 +0000

When a Chinese traditional homes is demolished to make way for the new, elements like antique window screens, carved panels & screens and other architectural elements are typically salvaged to be reborn as decorative items in modern homes. Thinking about adding such a piece of history to your collection? Here’s a quick look at the restoration process from start to finish.

Before and after cleaning

1. Cleaning

A years of being exposed to rain, dust, smoke (and who knows what else), quite a lot of build up can occur, which must be carefully removed. While there are several methods used in cleaning, initial stages typically use water. Depending on preferences, this process may be repeated several times, often using a small quantity of a gentle cleaner like hand soap or a touch of dish washing liquid.

Removing years of dirt

In Chinese, this process is often referred to as piāo bái (漂白) which means “to lighten,” and details may emerge that were not evident under all the years of dirt.

Beautiful color emerges

2. Repairs to carvings

After cleaning, the second step is repairing some (or all depending on preference) damaged sections of the wood carving. Typically this involves scraps of the same or similar wood which are then pegged and glued over the damaged areas (known as bu mutou 补木头). Once pegged and dried, the damaged sections can be carefully re-carved, sanded and detailed to match. Some people may prefer to re-carved/repair every minute detail. Others may choose to repair major damage only. Depending on the shape and structure of the carving other repairs to joinery may be required as well.

Repairing of damaged sections of carving

3. Touch-ups

After any damaged sections of the antique carving have been repaired, if the screen was painted, then replaced sections will need to be carefully hand painted to match the original color and style.

Retouching the color

4. Display in the home!

The final and most rewarding step… Options range from hanging or mounting to stands and even frames.

Display in the home

5. Learn More

I recommend you buy the book Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage of a Nation from Amazon.

Enjoy!

Smuggled out just 4 years ago, a rare Tang Dynasty sarcophagus returns to China

Roger — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:46:50 +0000

No wonder customs is so difficult when it comes to exporting antique stone these days…..

The return of a smuggled Tang Dynasty (AD 618 – 907) sarcophagus from the United States to China may serve as a good example for international collaboration to curb the rampant pillaging and smuggling of treasures, researchers have said.

The 27-ton stone coffin of Tang empress Wu Huifei (AD 699-737) arrived at the Shaanxi History Museum on Thursday, four years after it was smuggled out of the country.

The sarcophagus is 4 meters long, 2 meters wide and 2 meters high. It features flowers and maiden figures in relief. Robbers stole it from Wu’s tomb in the southern suburbs of Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province, in 2006.

“It is a rare cultural relic with high scientific, historical and artistic value,” said Liu Daiyun, director of the research department of the Shaanxi provincial archaeological research institute.

Xi’an police found out about the sarcophagus in February 2006 during an investigation over a tomb robbery. They seized a computer containing a number of its pictures in a suspect’s house and local archaeologists soon identified the relic’s origin.

After two years of investigations, police discovered the sarcophagus had been smuggled out of China and sold to a businessman in the US for $1 million, police sources said.

“We contacted the businessman through mediators and told him we had to get the relic back. If necessary, we would seek help from Interpol,” said Han Yulin, head officer of the heritage investigation team of Xi’an’s public security bureau.

“After three rounds of negotiations, he agreed to return the relic to China unconditionally.”

The sarcophagus was shipped back on March 16 from Virginia and arrived in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, on April 17.

“Although this is not the first time smuggled antiques have been returned through legal means, it is still encouraging,” said Tan Ping, head of the museum and cultural relics department of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH).

The pillaging of Chinese antiques is a serious problem in China. Chinese art analysts have blamed a thriving global market for the relics as the reason behind widespread tomb robberies.

“Pillaging at archaeological sites and smuggling of relics have become rampant in recent years,” SACH deputy director Tong Mingkang said last Saturday, which was China’s Cultural Heritage Day.

Driven by high profits, a number of people have put numerous looted and smuggled Chinese artifacts on sale in foreign countries, Tong said.

Foreign museums have a collection of about “1.64 million Chinese relics”, Tan said, adding that it was impossible to provide an exact figure for those relics in the hands of private collectors.

SACH has reiterated its objection to any auction or purchase of smuggled Chinese cultural relics.

Tan said China continues to seek the return of its looted relics through “legal or diplomatic means”.

To that effect, the country has reached agreements with 11 countries including Peru, India, Italy and the US to impose import restrictions on relics.

These restrictions will reduce the economic incentive behind the pillaging, said Professor Li Boqian, an archaeologist at Peking University.

“If looters cannot send the items to buyers in the United States or other foreign countries, they are less likely to risk raiding an archaeological site,” Li said.

The professor also stressed the importance of local police efforts in fighting the problem.

“Xi’an police set a good example by keeping a close eye on the looting of antiques,” Li said.

China has retrieved nearly 4,000 antiques through legal and diplomatic means since 1998, SACH archives showed.

Original article: http://english.cri.cn/6909/2010/06/18/189s577412.htm

State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH): http://www.sach.gov.cn/

Shaanxi History Museum: http://www.sxhm.com/

唐贞顺皇后石椁移交仪式在我馆隆重举行

本网讯：2010年6月17日14点30分，唐贞顺皇后敬陵被盗石椁的交接仪式在我馆隆重举行。景俊海副省长、陕西省公安厅、陕西省文物局、西安市公安局、西安海关、陕西出入境检验检疫局等相关单位的领导出席移交仪式，CCTV-新闻频道进行现场直播。中央电视台从17日上午7时30分起分别在各档新闻节目中进行滚动报道，引起了社会各界的高度关注。新华社、人民日报、文汇报、陕西电视台、华商报等二十多家媒体蜂拥而至，进行了详细的采访和报道。

该石椁于2005年被盗，流失海外达五年之久，重归故里实属不易。2006年元月，西安市公安局破获以杨彬为首的特大盗掘走私文物案，经审查，犯罪分子供认2004年6月至2005年5月，对位于西安市长安区大兆乡庞留村的一座唐代墓葬实施盗掘，墓内石椁已被走私出境。为了抢救保护劫后余存的文物，经陕西省文物局批准，陕西省考古研究院、陕西历史博物馆、长安区文物局联合组队对该墓进行了抢救性发掘。根据墓葬形制和出土文物，确认该墓为唐贞顺皇后敬陵。并发掘出土石椁残件，为之后石椁的追索提供了重要的证据。

几年来，西安警方不懈努力，积极追索流失文物。2009年警方通过特情获悉，石椁已被美国某古董商购买。经反复联系沟通，古董商表示愿意派代表与我们谈判，约定于2009年12月29日在香港,与其代表人迈克见面，洽谈石椁的归还问题。事情取得了重要进展，我们立即向上级领导汇报，引起领导的高度重视，决定由西安市公安局刑侦局胡家华政委、李浩处长、韩清龙大队长和我馆程旭副馆长、文物征集处师小群处长组成追索文物谈判小组，赴港与对方谈判。在谈判中，我们就文物的所有权、涉案性质、追索归还等原则问题阐明了立场，美方代表则对法律责任、归还方式等问题有所顾虑。虽然没有达成实质性协议，但美方表达了愿意与中国警方和博物馆合作的意向，并表示尽力说服其委托人把石椁归还中国。最终美方买家同意将石椁无条件归还并交与博物馆。

在文物追索、谈判、接收过程中，陕西省文物局赵荣局长、郭宪曾副局长及相关处室高度重视，多次召开协调会，部署、指导各项工作，使石椁的回归、安置和展示有序进行。

2010年3月7日，石椁从美国弗吉尼亚州启运， 4月17日抵达中国广州。我馆文物征集处和西安市公安局刑侦局办理石椁入境、通关及查验等相关手续，并专程前往广州接运文物。于4月29日晚安全运抵我馆。

石椁回归后，文物征集处负责组装石椁，在后勤处、保卫处、陈列部、资料室、宣教部、保管部、创优办等多个兄弟部门的密切配合下，经过一个多月的紧张施工，石椁的保护、修复、安装及展示等工作顺利进行。在石椁安装期间，馆领导多次亲临工作现场指导安装工作、慰问工作人员，确保了安装工作的顺利完成。至此，被盗出境，漂泊美国四年的唐贞顺皇后敬陵石椁，终于在我馆与西安警方的共同努力下回归故土。

这是我馆首次征集的海外流失文物，也是我馆馆藏文物中体量最大的一件唐代文物珍品，为我省文物保护事业做出的重要贡献。

在移交仪式上，西安市公安局副局长肖西亮介绍案情和追索过程，陕西省文物鉴定委员会负责人呼林贵宣读鉴定结论及介绍石椁历史价值，省公安厅副厅长马中林、陕西历史博物馆馆长成建正签署了移交证书，陕西历史博物馆党委书记冯庚武致辞，对省委、省政府、省文物局领导的重视与支持，西安警方、海关、出入境检验检疫等相关部门的密切配合表示感谢。出席交接仪式的副省长景俊海指出，此次文物回归，表明陕西公安、文物联合保护文物的机制是有效的、有力的，我们有能力保护好陕西丰富的文物资源。他希望公安机关和文物部门继续紧密配合，打防结合，建立新的文物保护机制，确保文物安全，打击盗窃、盗掘、走私、非法倒卖文物等犯罪行为。同时，对追回来的文物进行修复展示，发挥其应有的作用。

移交仪式结束后，西安市公安局刑侦局局长孙建华、副局长曹楠华、西安市公安局刑侦局韩清龙、陕西省文物鉴定专家呼林贵、我馆文物征集处师小群接受了媒体的采访。（馆文物征集处）

http://www.sxhm.com/www/bgscn.asp?ID=5796

Germany’s fake terracotta warriors – seems even the museums get duped sometimes

Roger — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:47:57 +0000

Somehow I missed this one (which dates all the way back to 2007). While I have to admit its a bit cynical to say it, I find this absolutely hilarious (on so many levels, I can’t even begin to touch on all of them). From rampant piracy in China, to its historical context concerning fakes to the gullible nature of foreigners doing business in china. Either way, for any of us who have burned a few bucks on a item we thought was “an authentic antique,” its good to know that from time to time even the experts get taken for a ride.


A fake at the Hamburg museum.	On of our own “authentic fakes

German museum admits terracotta warriors are fakes

More than 10,000 visitors to an exhibition of terracotta warriors in Hamburg are to be offered refunds after organizers admitted the figures on display are fake. Germany’s art world was stunned by the scandal, which came to light when officials from Xian, the home of the 2,000-year-old clay army, said they were unaware that they had lent any of their figures to Germany and that those on display at Hamburg’s Museum of Ethnology could not possibly be real as the originals were all elsewhere.

Chinese experts are on their way to the northern port city to examine the objects in the Power of Death exhibition, which consists of eight clay warrior figures, two horses and 60 smaller artefacts including bronze vessels, weapons and tools. German art detectives have launched their own investigation.

A spokesman for the Leipzig exhibition company, Centre of Chinese Arts and Culture (CCAC) which arranged the show, reluctantly admitted on German television that the figures were copies. But he was keen to stress the figures’ similarity to the originals.

“First of all one has to say that the material clay was also used in those days. Then one can say that these figures are the same size as those in Xian, but in any case they are not originals,” Yolna Grimm said. He added that the figures had been obtained from public authorities, institutes and businesses in China.

The company also organised a show of terracotta warriors in Leipzig two years ago, but there visitors were explicitly told that they were viewing copies.

Wulf Köpke, director of the Museum of Ethnology, said he had agreed to the exhibition on the firm understanding that the exhibits were genuine and the company had assured him that was the case.

“The CCAC presented us with certificates of authenticity, but not documentation proving how they had been transported,” he said.

The museum has not managed to free itself from suspicion of involvement, particularly as the figures for exhibition were delivered after dark. “The fact that the warriors came to the museum in the dead of night adds to the sense that deception was at play,” wrote Die Welt newspaper.

Grimm of the CCAC insisted he had never claimed the figures were original. “There was never a word about originals in the Hamburg contract,” he said.

China’s state office for the administration of cultural artifacts in Beijing, said it was likely that the exhibits were illegal copies. “It looks like this is a problem with the protection of copyright,” a spokesman told German media.

Authorities in Xian confirmed that the only exhibition of the clay soldiers that had been authorized was the ongoing First Emperor exhibition at the British Museum in London, China’s biggest ever overseas loan of the figures.

Many have questioned the timing of the row. China recently heaped criticism on Germany after the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, paid a visit to the chancellor, Angela Merkel. Political leaders promised that Germany’s refusal to stop the visit would have “consequences”.

Until now the Chinese authorities have often turned a blind eye to terracotta warrior fakes, even allowing a controlled number of authorised fakes to be made by certified manufacturers. It is not clear whether the Hamburg exhibits were authorised copies.

Hamburg’s museum has now put up a sign informing visitors that the authenticity of the exhibits is in doubt. “Some or all of the objects in the exhibition that are said to be authentic may in fact be copies,” the sign reads.

An "authentic rare blue terre cotta warrior" on a customers balcony

German art critics have called it the “art crime of the decade”, saying that exhibition-goers have been conned in what could be one of the biggest copyright infringement cases Germany has ever known.

The terracotta army was uncovered around three decades ago by a farmer digging a well. It comes from the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, who spent more than 20 years laying the foundations of modern China before his death in 210 BC. The clay soldiers were created to protect him in the afterlife.

Original article from the guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 12 December 2007

Woman finds out her father’s jade collection is worth over a million USD.

Roger — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:45:41 +0000

18th-Century Qianlong Jade Collection from Qing Dynasty

Appraised Value:

$710,000 – $1,070,000

Watch the appraisal video here on the Antiques Roadshow website. Or even better, watch this interview with the owner in North Carolina.

GUEST: My father was in China two different times– I think in the late ’30s and sometime during the ’40s, with the Army, and he was a liaison of some sort. He was just a Kentucky farm boy, but he learned Chinese and he met a Mr. Liang at number ten Jade Street, and that’s pretty much what I remember him always telling me. Mr. Liang would call him and say, “John, I have some pieces you might want to look at.” As children, we heard that some of them had imperial seals, and then I just always have been curious.

APPRAISER: Well, that Mr. Liang must have been a very, very good friend of your father’s, because he led him down the path of great collecting. Generally you see people who purchase things in China at that period of time, and they purchased things that were very, very poor quality. These things are all of very, very fine quality. Did you have any idea about the value on these things?

GUEST: This dragon bowl, as we’ve always called it, we’ve always heard that it may be worth a lot of money, but no, I don’t know the value.

APPRAISER: You start with, basically, the runt of the litter in terms of these groups is that bowl there. And that’s a bowl that’s based on a style from India that they refer to as Mogul style. And it’s Chinese, 18th century. Very, very thin carving, really beautiful, crisp workmanship. This one here is the same style, but only a little more ornate. This is also Mogul style, also 18th century.

GUEST: So 1700s.

APPRAISER: Yeah, they all date from the Qianlong period, which is 1735 to 1796. This one here is set with a ruby in the top and very, very finely carved. The animal is a thing they call bixie. It means to ward off evil. And that animal is just a beautiful piece of celadon jade, wonderfully carved. And then we have the top piece of the group. This one has an inscription in the bottom that is imperial. It has a cyclical date there, which they’re kind of hard to read, because they run in 62-year cycles. But it also has the mark “by imperial order.” Rather than just “made.” So it was made specifically for the emperor himself.

GUEST: Oh, fantastic.

APPRAISER: But you start getting into the value of these objects, and the bowl there, a conservative auction estimate on that bowl would be $30,000 to $50,000.

GUEST: No! Oh, my gosh!

APPRAISER: A conservative estimate on this vase here would be $80,000 to $120,000.

GUEST: Oh, I love this one.

APPRAISER: This animal here, beautifully carved, wonderful quality, would be $200,000 to $300,000.

GUEST: Uh… I can’t believe you.

APPRAISER: And this bowl here, because of the imperial inscription, this would be probably very, very conservatively, $400,000 to $600,000.

GUEST: Oh, I don’t bel… Oh, my gosh.

APPRAISER: For a total amount of between $710,000 to $1,070,000.

GUEST: Damn.

APPRAISER: It’s an incredible collection, and he also bought at a period of time where I would doubt if he paid more than a hundred dollars for any one of these pieces.

GUEST: Yeah, I’m sure you’re right. I just can’t… I had no idea.

APPRAISER: It’s the best thing I have ever seen on the Roadshow.

GUEST: Oh, my gosh! I love hearing that. Thank you.

APPRAISER: By far.

Chinese vase valued at €150 sells for €110,000 at auction

Roger — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:53:23 +0000

“I have a lot of people approach me with inquires about selling porcelain collections they have either inherited or amassed over the years. I am guessing this might be one of the reasons why:”

THE OWNERS of a Chinese imperial vase which sold for €110,000 at a Co Laois auction on Tuesday – a record-breaking price for ceramics at an Irish antiques sale – plan to sell the remainder of an inherited collection of oriental porcelain.

While the Co Carlow family wish to retain strict anonymity, the auctioneers acting on their behalf said they were unaware of the vase’s historical significance and its value when it was consigned for sale. The family did not attend the auction and missed seeing the vase sell for 1,000 times its estimated value.

Durrow-based auctioneers Sheppards said the owners were “shocked but also delighted and chuffed” by the sale. They were also coming to terms with the potential value and importance of the remaining items in the collection.

The family inherited the collection from two sisters who have since died, who had emigrated to the United States in the 1940s. The women lived and worked there for many years and amassed a collection of ceramics which they brought back to Ireland. The vase may have been bought in the city of Philadelphia.

A selection of about 20 pieces from the collection was included in the general sale of furniture and collectibles at Sheppards Irish Auction House in Durrow, Co Laois, earlier this week. Most of the Chinese lots, including the vase, had pre-sale estimates of €100-€150.

However, international collectors who had spotted the vase on the internet recognised it as part of the personal collection of 18th-century Chinese emperor Qianlong. They travelled to Co Laois and sparked frenzied bidding, which resulted in the vase being sold for €110,000. A separate lot of two vases, with the same estimate, sold for €41,000.

Both lots were acquired by a London antiques dealer who outbid the wife of a collector in China, who had travelled from Beijing in a quest to buy the vase.

Auctioneer Philip Sheppard said the vase was “part of the first tranche” of the collection and the remainder would be sold at a future auction in Durrow.

The purchaser of the vase said he expected to make “a handsome profit” on its resale. Richard Peters said from his shop on Kensington Church Street that he was “absolutely delighted” with his purchase and described the vase as “incredibly perfect and a very special piece”. He will offer it for resale shortly and is confident it will appeal to collectors of oriental ceramics “especially in London and China”.

Mr Peters is “likely” to return to Co Laois for the sale of the rest of the Carlow collection.

Arabella Bishop, the head of Sotheby’s Ireland, was “excited about what happened in Durrow”. The Chinese market was “especially strong at the moment – particularly for good, fresh pieces, particularly those with an imperial connection”.

Dublin’s Chester Beatty Library, which has a world-class collection of oriental manuscripts, paintings and rare books, also houses a small collection of imperial Chinese porcelain which is available for public viewing “by appointment”.

Acting curator Laura Muldowney, said while she “could not comment on values”, thought the vase sold in Durrow “looks like a lovely piece” based on photographs. She said the Chester Beatty collection did not have any porcelain from the period of Emperor Qianlong but had pieces from the era of his grandfather, Emperor Kangxi.

MICHAEL PARSONS

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0304/1224265559078.html

Chinese vase smashes €150 guide price and sells for €110,000 in Laois

MICHAEL PARSONS in Durrow, Co Laois

A CHINESE vase with an asking price of just €150 sold at a Co Laois auction yesterday for €110,000.

The 12-inch-high blue-and-white porcelain vase attracted an opening bid of €50 – before a bidding war erupted between two international antique collectors.

Both had recognised it online as an authentic Imperial vase, and flew in for the one-day sale of furniture and collectibles at Sheppards Irish Auction House in Durrow.

Afterwards, the purchaser, London antique dealer Richard Peters (48), said: “I got a bargain.”

Underbidder Rong Chen (48), who had travelled from Beijing especially for the auction, said she was “very sad and disappointed”.

Her husband, an accountant and antique collector, had spotted the vase on the internet and believed “This is the one – we think it was in the Imperial household.”

The item was part of a collection of Chinese porcelain inherited by an unnamed Co Carlow family and consigned for sale. They were last night “chuffed and delighted” by the sale, the auctioneers said.

Mr Peters, who runs an antiques business in Kensington, said the vase was “made for the personal collection of the Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century”. He explained that the vase, in a shape known in Chinese as hu-yu-chun-ping, was decorated simply with “images of banana and bamboo trees”.

It had “probably been looted from the Imperial Palace in Peking by French or British or American soldiers sometime during the 19th century”, he added, describing the field of Chinese ceramics as “difficult because the market is filled with fakes and forgeries”.

When auctioneer Michael Sheppard called for an opening bid for the vase shortly after noon, he received an offer of just €50. But, within seconds, intense and frenzied bidding was under way and bids jumped, first in multiples of hundreds, and then thousands of euro. Mr Peters, who was seated, bid by nodding discreetly, while Ms Chen stood as she took instructions on a mobile phone from her husband. Later, she told The Irish Times that he had told her “to drop out at €100,000”.

When Mr Sheppard brought down the gavel at €110,000, there were gasps and then applause in the tightly packed saleroom.

Mr Sheppard said “that was the highest figure ever achieved for any item” in the 60-year history of the family-run firm of auctioneers and valuers. He said “something like this happens once in a lifetime”.

Mr Peters bought a second lot – a pair of Chinese polychrome vases – for €41,000. Like the Imperial vase, the items had carried a guide price of €100-€150.

Mr Peters returned to London last night with the items, which he is likely to sell to a Chinese client.

As the salesroom emptied, attendees spoke of their astonishment. David Stapleton, from the nearby town of Ballyragget, said “It was one of those moments. You had to be there – like the GPO in 1916.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2010/0303/1224265504158.html

A pair of late 18th to early 19th century Qing dynasty Chinese Nanmu compound cabinets

Roger — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:59:13 +0000

Item: A pair of late 18th to early 19th century Qing period Chinese compound cabinets
Region: Shanxi Province in Northern China
Materials: Nanmu (楠木 – Phoebe) and Chicken Wing wood (鸡翅木) *
Price: 60,000 to 80,000 Chinese RMB (SOLD) **
Condition: Purchased un-restored. Minimal restoration. New hardware. Carvings likely replaced after being defaced during the cultural revolution.

* Nanmu is a very durable medium density Chinese softwood which is extremely stable and excellent for furniture making due to its resistance to expansion, cracking caused by climate changes or humidity. Chicken Wing wood is called as such do to the pattern of its grain resembling that of a chicken wing.

** Price in China as of 2009

A good discussion on Ming cloisonne

Roger — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:28:32 +0000

I like to poke around on the discussion boards located here and here on the Asian Art Forum website where there are very lively discussions on a range of topics from jade, to porcelain to even furniture. Great place to learn! Which is why I thought this recent thread on Ming cloisonne was worth re-posting here. Thanks to the people who contributed their opinions. (I have removed the email address to prevent spamming – check the original thread here.)

Subject:Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: kk Mon, Mar 01, 2010

Early Ming,
Mid Ming,
late Ming
or a late Qing Dyns copy.
Please give reason(s) to back up your opinion.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By:LEE Tue, Mar 02, 2010

Hi KK, the following criteria I use to evaluate ming cloisonne. 1) Ming and early ching pieces should have a cast bronze body. Late Ching- Republic pieces have solder lines that you can spot on the rim, where hammered wrought copper body have been soldered together . Most Ming pieces are gilded. late Ching pieces are seldom gilded 2) the bronze wire used for ming cloisone were cast than cut and have different diameter along the same wire or between different wires and you often get split wires, probably during firing. Ching wires are more even in size as wrought wires were used. 3) the surface of the ming cloisone is pitted and have black spots because solder was used to stick the wire to the bronze body. During firing this melts and comes to the surface. Ching cloisonne used organic glue to fuse the wire to the bronze, so there are fewer black spots and pits. 4) The surface of Ching cloisone are finished relatively smooth while the Ming are more satin finished. 5) the Ming cloisone have the basic white, green, yellow, red, blue and the pink is a mixture of red and white. The colors are seldom mixed in the individual cloisone. In the Ching cloisone there are real pink and there may be more than 1 color in a wire enclosure. 6) the design and style of course is different between ming and ching except for the late ching period when they tried to replicate the ming pieces to supply the antique market. Based on the criteria I suspect this plate could be late Ching.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: kk Wed, Mar 03, 2010

Thanks Lee.
The above piece is not a casting piece,but a construction from sheet metal. It is surprisingly thin, not heavy at all and has not gilding. The rim is wrap with thin metal weld together. The surface has a lot of pits, not smooth as later works.This is not a museum piece, all opinions are welcome.

This following group is Ming cloisonne from museum collections and major auction houses.

17th century

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: kk

This following group is a little more difficult.
Christies said this vase is 19th century. Very unusual colors for 19th century.

Ming period from Christies

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: kk

Here are two Qing Copies of Ming style censers.
Both marks “Fangming” Which may translate as “copies of Ming style, or “Ming style workshop”. They are obviously not intend to be fakes. It is not clear when they are made. Some people said 19th Century some said earlier.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: kk

Tony,
What is your point? The Ebay pieces are really same as the the initial dish in this thread??? Did you see the same bright colors: grass green, bright yellow in my dish? Even the “lotus flower” design is completely off from the about examples. On the other hand, it is not difficult to see the similarity between the Xudeng dish from national palace museum and my dish: same color enamels very similar designs in flowers and horses.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: Robert

Kk, the last two pieces you posted are actually Japanese_made, NOT Chinese. The first of the last two pieces is a Chinese-influenced, Japanese-made Ming copy of a “mandarin hat” vessel. The stamp on both items is Japanese.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: Robert Grady

Not Ming or Qing but representative of Japanese KAJI primitive work (1850) Edo period.

Is it an eBay knock-off? I wouldn’t know without handling it. But at least I know it is NOT Chinese.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: kk

Robert, I am not sure what you try to said.

What is Japanese KAJI primitive work? I can’t find this term anywhere?

I did not have any picture of a “mandarin hat” vessel here. Which piece are you talking about? The first of the last two pieces is a censer.

The Characters in the marks of the last two picture( censers) are Chinese Characters, so as the hat designs.

Please show me a Japanese pieces has the same type of enamels colors and similar design. No unrelated piece from ebay please.

thanks.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: Robert Grady

Kk, the first cloisonne piece you show is either a “primative” 1850 Edo period bowl(read:made in Japan), or it is a cheap knock-off of a “primative” cloisonne Edo bowl. It looks like the latter because after looking at it some more it seems a little too “primative”. “Primative” in the sense that this is typically some of Japan’s early cloisonne work.

The last two pieces of cloisonne in your pics are definitely Japanese made to mimic Ming cloisonne. The mark is Japanese, not Chinese. It is well known to any serious collector of cloisonne that the Japanese made plenty of “Da Ming” copies so marked and your last two pics happen to be two examples of it.
That is a documented Japanese mark.

Okay, since a censer can be classified as a vessel, the pieces are Japanese censers made in the style of a “mandarin hat”, or should it be “mandarin’s hat” with a faux Ming mark.

Why do you think the bowl in your first pic is Chinese?

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne for your discussion
Posted By: kk

Rebort,

What is Japanese KAJI primitive work? I can’t find this term “KAJI Work” anywhere? What is KAJI Work?

You said this is a typically Japanese cloisonne work. Then why don’t you show me a other Japaneses cloisonne piece in the SAME type of enamels colors and SIMILAR lotus follower design.No unrelated piece from ebay please.

You said the mark is a documented Japanese mark. Please tell us the name of the book has this mark.

You may compare my initial dish to this Ming Xudeng period (1426-1435) from national palace museum in Taipei. They both have very similar horse and flower designs same color enamels.

Subject:Re: Ming cloisonne replica
Posted By: kk

Peking people,

I don’t think you can find my dish in PanChaiYuan Market.

Here is one bowl from from the famous fake antique market PanChaiYuan. Please See the difference in style and colors and enamels.

Ming period from Christies

Cool Finds: A look at some 2000 year old, Han Dynasty earthenwares

Roger — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:49:18 +0000

A 2000 year old, Han dynasty earthenware jar with swirling cloud patterns

A set of Han earthenware painted jugs

Note: All images are clickable.

During our treks and travels, we come across all sorts of rare, unusual and interesting things. Like this 300 year old temple table we stumbled across this past summer. Or this Chinese ancestor painting which eventually wound up permanently wall-mounted in a friends living room. But this cache of Han Dynasty earthenware, which we recently found surely deserves a mention. Now, normally our blog is encompassing of all topics pertaining to antiques, but in this case, these Han dynasty burial items are best described in terms of antiquities and archeology. And though by no means, am I an archeologist, I must say I understand that there just something really cool about holding an object in your hands made over 2000 years ago (Or for that matter, owning something that can found in museums or at Christies Auction house).

First, a quick lesson in history. Lasting almost 400 years, the Han dynasty (Han Dynasty, 206 B.C- 220 A.D) consisted of two main periods referred to as “Western Han” (Chang’ an) and “Eastern Han” (Luo yang) which is why you will see Han burial items often referred to in this manner ( Its worthy to note that there does indeed exist a third and very short in between dynasty named “xin” or “Wang Man”). To put that much time into perspective, lets just say, this was during the same period as the Roman Empire, the silk road and the birth and death of Christ.

Coccon shaped Han dynasty "hu" jar similar to the one in the Kimbell Art Museam

A closer look at the mouth of the above Han dynasty jug

So what are they? Since the afterlife was considered an extension of life for the people of Han, Ming Qi or “brilliant artifacts,” like these funerary jars and other grave furnishings were buried along side the deceased and were intended to provide the departed with all the necessary daily objects needed for the after life. Not only vases, pots and animal figurines, but water wells, cooking ovens and even entire models of farms where known to been buried with the deceased. The unusual Cocoon shaped jars are called “Hu” which basically means wine vessel or water container and this design is most commonly found in tombs from the Western Han periods.

Items from this period, were typically un-glazed black, gray or painted earthenware as glazing did not exist yet in early Han and/or was in its earliest experimental phases.

Han earthenware "ding" vessels

Large Han dynasty wine "hu" jug

If you want to learn a bit more about Ming Qi there are a few good sources of information I can recommend:

The Vibrant Role of Mingqi in Early Chinese Burial (This is a short but very good introduction from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.)
The forums (here and here) on the Asian Art website have some lively discussions and though mostly centered on jade and porcelain authentication there are discussions on pottery and earthenware as well.
Ancient China From the Neolithic Period to the Han Dynasty: This is a PDF file which I have included here, from the Asian Art Museum Education Department and includes quite a lot of info not only on Han but also other dynasties and covers bronze and jade as well. The additional Powerpoint slides are here (includes the color images).
The Mingqi Pottery Buildings of Han Dynasty China: This book is available here on Amazon.
A Guide to the Tomb and Shrine Art of the Han Dynasty: This book is also available here on Amazon.

a closer look at the rich painted colors

Examples in Museums:

A few amazing examples from Museums around the world…

Kimbell Art Museam:

Chinese Cocoon-Shaped Jar with Cloud-Scroll Design

Late 2nd or early 1st century B.C.
China, possibly Luoyang, Henan province, Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 9)
Earthenware with painted polychrome decoration
11-1/2 x 13-1/8 x 9-1/4 in. (29.2 x 33.3 x 23.5 cm)

The National Palace Museum, Taipei

Pottery cocoon-shaped Hu vessel

Creation Date:
Warring States Period to Western Han Dynasty
Start Year Date:
B.C.481
End Year Date:
A.D.9

Krannert Art Museum – University of Illinois

Hu vessel (2nd century CE)

Chinese, Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE)
Ceramic: earthenware with red, black and white slip
diam: 8″ x 5 1/2″

Collection:
National Palace English
Work ID:
M01D00015
Title:
Pottery cocoon-shaped Hu vessel
Creation Date:
Warring States Period to Western Han Dynasty
Start Year Date:
B.C.481
End Year Date:
A.D.9

Books about collecting Tibetan Antiques and Tibetan furniture

Roger — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:22:23 +0000

People frequently ask me for recommendation on good books to learn about Chinese and Tibetan Antiques. Here are a few from my own collection along with some additional suggestions.

Tibetan Furniture by Chris Buckley

Despite the author being a good friend of mine, and despite the fact that there really doesn’t seem to be too many good books out there on Tibetan furniture though even if there were, its likely this one would still remain at the top of the list. The amount of history and detail covered in this book is amazing, as is the fascinating and stunning images of furniture and Tibetan symbolism. More then just a “coffee table book,” this hardcover offers an extremely in depth look at the history, craftsmenship, techniques, meanings and just about anything else one might want to know behind Tibetan painted furniture. The novice will walk away sounding like an expert after studying this book and even the expert will be surprised at just how much more there is to learn.

You can also check out Chris’s RugDogBlog at:

http://www.toranahouse.com/rugdogblog/

Wooden Wonders: Tibetan Furniture In Secular And Religious Life

I have yet to add this book on Tibetan furniture to my collection though I plan to as it looks pretty good. Though a bit more expensive then Chris Buckley’s book it definately seems to be worth having if you primary area of study is items from Tibet.

Books of further interest:


The only book I am aware of on Tibetan artifacts and metal working	A worthy edition for those who want to plunge into the symbolism behind it all.	Focuses exclusively on Tibetan rugs carpets.