Chinese Woodworking: books and resources from around the web

LuBanJing chinese carpenters manual 300x251 Chinese Woodworking: books and resources from around the web 

Chinese Woodworking: Stock Preparation

This is a nice overview of materials preparation that was posted in the forums at Fine Woodworking.

“In some way it is lucky that we met Liu Shifu at the end of his career: early in his career a Chinese Shifu will hardly ever allow outsiders to watch them work, not to mention photograph. In fact, Liu Shifu was very interested in the prospect that his life’s work could find a forum in the United States. Stock preparation starts with the equivalent to a broad ax which, with enough practice, get’s you fairly close to the final dimensions of the board.”

Chinese woodworking 200x300 Chinese Woodworking: books and resources from around the web Chinese carpenter 200x300 Chinese Woodworking: books and resources from around the web

 

Books on Chinese Woodworking with good diagrams

books about chinese antiques 300x262 Chinese Woodworking: books and resources from around the web

There are a lot of books on Chinese antiques out there, most of which we have on our amazon list already.  And not to boast but I do think this list is about as complete as it gets. However, I find these ones have the most complete details in terms of specific diagrams of joinery and construction.

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Join our Chinese antiques discussion group on facebook!

Connect with like minds!
Learn and Appreciate. Share knowledge.

Join our facebook antiques group Join our Chinese antiques discussion group on facebook!

Join us on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/groups/Chineseantiquefurniture/

Chinese Antiques Group Join our Chinese antiques discussion group on facebook!

Antiques forum Join our Chinese antiques discussion group on facebook!

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New Course: learn about collecting Chinese antiques, ceramics, Tibetan art, textiles and chinese furniture.

SDC10713 291x300 New Course: learn about collecting Chinese antiques, ceramics, Tibetan art, textiles and chinese furniture.

This fall of 2011, Roger Schwendeman and Chris Buckley, specialists in Chinese Antiques, will be conducting a unique series of classes on Chinese Antiques (course listing below). These sessions are intended to provide pointers for negotiating the maze/minefield that is the Beijing antique market and for finding genuine items of good quality. The first sessions begin on Friday 23rd September 2011 starting with antique furniture related topics.

 

All classes are from 10.30am to 12pm approximately. Allow longer for field trips for traveling time. Classes are limited to 12-15 people per session depending on venue. Offsite field trips are limited to 15-20. Seats are first-come first-served so if you have interest please RSVP your intention without delay.There is a fee of 200RMB per class.

 

If you would like to sign up for a session please click here to sign up:

http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/events/

 

chrisbuckley888 (at) Hotmail.com
roger (at) antique-chinese-furniture.com  (or call 13051440767)

or contact us here

 

Chinese Furniture (01)  - Classroom session

Roger will introduction to buying antique furniture in Beijing, covering types of furniture, wood and surface finishes, distinguishing new from antique, “what’s hot” in the furniture market, ordering new/reproduction pieces.

 

Session Date Time Location
01 Friday Sept. 23, 2011 10:30 AM – 12 – 12:30 PM Gaobeidian
02 (repeat) Saturday Sept. 24, 2011 10:30 AM – 12 – 12:30 PM Gaobeidian

Chinese Furniture (02) – Field Trip

Roger will host a guided trip to one of Beijing’s “industry only” antique furniture markets to see “furniture in the raw”, with the chance to pick out unrestored furniture for later restoration. Roger is well known for these trips and will take you to places that other furniture dealers would like to keep secret.

 

Session Date Time Location
Field Trip Sunday 25 Sept 2011 10 AM Gaobeidian

Tips for Collecting Antiques in China (Roger and Chris)

Roger and Chris share their experiences in collecting antiques in China, and in particular in Beijing. Topics include:

    • a brief introduction to north China (Neolithic and bronze age cultures up to the present day)
    • types of antiques available in Beijing markets
    • genuine items versus fakes
    • collecting strategies
    • prices and market trends
    • how not to get “taken for a ride”
    • exporting your antiques (exportable items and problem areas)
    • packing and shipping your antiques. (With practical examples)

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A new twist on classic Ming style horse-shoe chairs – introducing the stainless steel Chinese yoke back chair!

Chinese officials hat chair
Chinese acrylic yoke back armchair 300x270 A new twist on classic Ming style horse shoe chairs introducing the stainless steel Chinese yoke back chair!

Chinese red acrylic yoke back armchair from Green T. House in Beijing

I was reading over at Beijing Notebook about these translucent acrylic Chinese horseshoe chairs she saw at the Green T. House in Beijing. With clean and classic Ming style lines, these round backed chairs are a very updated idea on an extremely old concept. Very neat idea – probably not particularly easy to manufacture.

Sometimes, one needs a break from antiques

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Imperial jade, ivory, bronzes, silks and embroideries – all for sale at rock bottom prices (in 1908 that is)

Empress Dowager Cixiandsarah.jpg 177x300 Imperial jade, ivory, bronzes, silks and embroideries all for sale at rock bottom prices (in 1908 that is)

Absolutely fascinating article from the New York times in 1908, reporting on the sale of The Sarah Pike Conger collection of oriental antiques. Containing priceless artifacts, even by 1908  standards, its in today’s terms that the prices paid are even more eye catching:

  • Elephant’s trappings from the imperial elephant stables:   $150.00
  • Large gold alloy cast bell from  Temple Of Agriculture $560.00
  • Chinese executioner’s sword engraved with dragons:   $25.00
  • Antique cloisonné enamel palace seat:   $540.00

 

A bit of historical background.

Mrs. E. H. Conger (Sarah Pike Conger) was the wife of Edwin H. Conger, who was the “Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China” (in other words the ambassador to China) from 1898 until his resignation in 1905.  An author who wrote several books about her time in China, and experienced the turbulent time of the Boxer Rebellion first hand, having been besieged for 55 days in the British legation quarter in 1900. She was also a friend of the Empress Dowager Cixi and some items in her collection were gifts from the empress herself.  In fact, the only known image of Cixi touching a foreigner is of the two of them together.

In many circles however, the auction was highly controversial. The Washington Herald’s 1908  announcement of the auction was less then flattering in it’s assessment and notes with irony that as she was the ambassadors wife, the items even entered the country tax free.

The soldiers who stole these things were glad of any market for they could carry little away with them, and in the far east today, stories are still told, with many a chuckle, of ignorant soldiers selling diamond studded watches and priceless bronzes for a handful of Mexican dollars

Meanwhile the fact of the sale must give our Chinese friends food for thought. It is hard to see how the morality of the case can be defended on any grounds. Without mincing words, the property that is to be put up at auction is stolen poperty, and the shame of this looting rests, in a measure, upon us all as American citizens.

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Traditional chinese houses – from the countryside into the city (with million dollar profits too)

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chinese wood carving 253x300 Traditional chinese houses from the countryside into the city (with million dollar profits too)

Old houses in China's countryside are being dismantled and reassembled for the nation's new rich.

Very interesting article in the China daily talking about the resale market for Ming and Qing dynasty Chinese traditional homes which are disassembled, transported, repaired and then resold to restaurants, clubs or wealthy collectors.  Now this is an interesting topic which I could easily get lost in as it just touches on so many interesting elements from Hui Zhou architecture to Chinese antique restorations to wooden architectural carvings.

Huizhou architecture Chinese traditional homes 210x300 Traditional chinese houses from the countryside into the city (with million dollar profits too)

The article  is basically a slimmed down version of another Chinese language article floating around the net. Its not a bad article, though it leaves out some of the more interesting details like such as how the industry works.

For example, the middlemen buyers tend to be divided up amongst two categories: those with ample capital and those who as essentially un-financed. Essentially those who are “un-financed” will buy the house and resell it right away to recoup their investment at a 20 to 30% profit margin. “Financed sellers” are those who have enough spare capital to buy the house, undertake all the repair and restoration work and then resell it in restored form at a 40 to 50 % profit.

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The specialists guide to Chinese antiques is Stephen Fry proof thanks to caching by WP Super Cache