Asian Antique Shop » Chinese Antiques

Asian Antiques are a Sound Investment

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:58:56 +0000

History has shown that whenever the financial economy has been really bad, whether caused by recession, or inflation, fine quality rare antiques have not only retained value but have remained in very high demand. The Asian antique market, as well as other good quality antiques and works of art, during financial slumps have tended to remain safe and even continued to increase in value.

While the world is experiencing an economic crisis, the Chinese in China having become wealthier and very keen to collect, or invest in, fine examples of their own heritage. The result is a growth of new antique auction houses all over China (many of these sell huge numbers of antiques, thousands at each auction, so much more than is normal in Europe or America). But added to this many of the Chinese outside China have become extremely wealthy too and they have added to this growing demand for the scarcest important Asian antiques whenever offered worldwide. We are now seeing record setting prices at the major auction houses for Chinese contemporary art.

The Internet too has been partly responsible for creating an even greater interest, introducing new collectors, or investors, from countries such as China, Japan, and India. It is still possible to find good deals and reasonably priced Chinese and other Asian antiques online at the Asian Antique Shop at http://www.asianantiquebargains.com. You will find antiques from China, Japan, India, Korea, Mongolia, Tibet and Southeast Asia. One of the many nice things about the Asian Antiques shop is the immense variety of antiques and a price range to fit all budgets. You can find antiques ranging from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

These are some of the reasons for prices continuing to rise and for the large number of new record auction prices that have been achieved even over the last twelve months. The media always concentrates on the financial bad news and there is hardly ever any mention of these record prices that keep surprising us all. No one can guarantee what will happen in the future, but provided the following guidance is taken, then any of the risks involved in buying antiques will be greatly reduced.
(1) Study the subject carefully, obtain advice and be sure you are really interested and enjoy whatever you decide to collect.
(2) Only purchase the very highest quality that you can afford. High quality is far more important than quantity.
(3) Buy from the most reputable of specialists, as they will be prepared to guarantee the authenticity, the age and possibly even the provenance.

Regardless of any financial turmoil the best and most important antiques, or works of art, have always in the past remained a stable form of investment that continued to rise.

NGANG NGUNG KANANG LOVE ATTRACTION THAI BUDDHA AMULET R

0 Bid

US $9.99

1h 33m

Antique Japanese H Colored Original Woodcuts EXCELLENT

1 Bid

US $45.26

1h 57m

PHRA YA PALEE THAI WINNER AMULET MONEY RICH LUCKY CHARM

0 Bid

US $9.99

3h 33m

9 FACES BUDDHA THAI AMULET WIN ALL OBSTACLES LUCKY RICH

1 Bid

US $.99

3h 37m

LP Ngern Thai Buddha Buddhist Amulet Pendant LUCKY RICH

0 Bid

US $9.99

5h 33m

Superb Five Color Porcelain Kirin Vase

0 Bid

US $24.98

5h 59m

Superb Five Color Porcelain Dragon Vase

0 Bid

US $69.00

6h 1m

Superb Famille Rose Porcelain Butterfly Gourd Vase

0 Bid

US $79.00

6h 3m

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Chinese Wall Scrolls – History, Practice and Artistry

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:11:05 +0000

The art of Chinese painting can be thought to begin with Chinese characters, because Chinese characters began as simple images ( or icons), in front of thousands of years. These have been developed in Chinese characters today. The technique of "image" of the original pictographs obviously been included in more detailed representations of landscapes. SameDishes, or brush he made of goat hair or fur wolf is still used in traditional Chinese painting today. Painting and calligraphy were the two most coveted art in the courtyards of the nobles in ancient China, calligraphy, like the purest form of art. Works by famous calligraphers were mounted on casters on the walls.

The hand-painted scroll is an example of how art was used to communicate in ancient China. The format used forChinese Painting vary over time. Massive murals, freestanding screens, scrolling horizontally and vertically, some of the formats used. Unrolled the scroll horizontally from right to left so that the viewer can watch a segment at a time. Horizontal scroll key hand was like a history book of photos, and lead to short vertical hanging scroll.

Silk was usually used for inventing a roll for the invention of paper, traditionally thought of doingA. China in the first century. D. Silk is very absorbent, which led to the practice of slow and deliberate application of paint and ink. Start document was developed by a variety of substances such as rice, straw, bark, reeds, bamboo, etc. These early works were made more moisture, the more spontaneously generated and painting. Most modern wall rolls are painted on Xuan paper, also known as rice paper. A piece of wood is attached to the bottom of the roller to prevent vehicles, and a thinPiece of wood with a rope at the top of the situation, the role of hanging out. Some roles are support and silk edges on them, but few are actually painted on silk.

Vertical scroll was hung on the wall, giving the viewer the ability to close and the image detail, and secure and to take any picture. Scrolls will be closed to replace with different roles. The Chinese have long been a magical relationship between people and ideas the landscape, so were many of the early landscapes scroll suspension, with other players over the years.
Chinese painting is like the theme of the painting judged balances with the rest of the picture and the feelings that evokes. The thing itself is sometimes secondary. Chinese scroll paintings are wonderful creations of art, full of meaning and give pleasure to the eye and the soul.

J053Chinese Scroll Painting of Portrait by Nan Haiyan

US $65.00

5d 3h 32m

FINE ASIAN MOUNT ART BLANK SCROLL PAINTINGCALLIGRAPHY

US $9.99

17d 7m

GH283 FREEHAND PAINTED BAMBOO SCROLL CENTER

0 Bid

US $7.99

7h 55m

GH234 4HANGING SCROLL CHINESE POEM CALLIGRAPHY

0 Bid

US $24.99

8h 55m

CHINESE QING 5COLOR KING ORDER EMPEROR EDICT SCROLL1681

1 Bid

US $9.99

9h 25m

4 Scrolls Chinese Painting of Landscape By HE TIANJIAN

US $199.90

29d 7h 25m

WA769 Chinese antique hanging scroll Horse Man

6 Bids

US $46.00

10h 55m

Chinese Mounted Painting of Animal By No Signature

US $120.00

27d 22h 4m

Antiques Week in Philadelphia Starts Today

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:04:33 +0000

By Karla Klein Albertson
Inquirer Antiques Columnist

The past is always with us in Philadelphia, but Antiques Week, beginning Friday, is an unmatched opportunity for collectors to examine the best furniture and decorative arts of previous centuries. So many experts on hand, so many specialties to explore - enjoy the feast.
The Philadelphia Antiques Show, now held at the Navy Yard, started it all 49 years ago. Antiques Week has been greatly enhanced by the ongoing 23d Street Armory Antiques Show and the excellent spring Americana sale at Freeman's. Museums display great things, but at these events, serious collectors can look over, under, and into museum-quality antiques. And ask questions to their heart's content.
Start shopping Friday morning at the historic 23d Street Armory, where show manager Frank Gaglio has assembled 45 well-known dealers who offer classic Americana, excellent folk art, and some eclectic surprises.

Exhibitors such as Chuck White, Mario Pollo, and Stephen-Douglas Antiques lay out beautifully integrated room settings of American furnishings and folk art. Gemini specializes in topline antique toys, Piccolo Art in dazzling miniatures.

New on board this year is John Chaski, a young dealer from Delaware. Also fresh to the show is New York jewelry dealer Sooky Goodfriend, whose wares include cocktail shakers and cuff links for modern Mad Men.

Gaglio tries to offer an eclectic selection that will appeal to new generations of collectors. He remembers that his daughter Ciara, now 22, came up with the slogan "Save Natural Resources, Buy Antiques."

"Young people are attracted by the visual impact of objects, by nostalgia, and by comfort and usability in a 21st-century lifestyle," he says. "The collecting bug is still there, but you have to present the right material."
Gaglio is a great believer in the Antiques Week concept. He runs a complementary shuttle on Saturday and Sunday between his show, 30th Street Station, and the Navy Yard. At www.barnstar.com, you can print out a coupon for $5 off the price of a ticket. Lunch is available at the on-site cafe.

The Philadelphia Antiques Show gets under way Friday night with the best preview gala of the year. The 2010 event, a mix of antiques, food, and fashion, benefits the new Penn Center for Ocular Imaging.

Party tickets are available at many levels at www.philaantiques.com. Basic tickets are $250, with a special deal for young collectors, 35 and under, at $125. The display of 50 distinguished exhibitors opens to the general public Saturday at 11 a.m.; tickets are $18 at the door, $15 online.

This year's special exhibit, "A Call to Arms: Chinese Armorial Porcelain for the British and American Markets, 1700-1850," is dedicated to the memory of longtime exhibitor Elinor Gordon (1918-2009). On Sunday, exhibit curator Ron Fuchs will present a lecture at 1:30 p.m.
Want to see this venerable show move a bit more firmly into the present century? Check out the new World Collectors Night at the Navy Yard on Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m., sponsored by Anthropologie. A $125 ticket includes cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and access to exhibitors who will share expertise and some special finds. At 8 p.m., the crowd will move next door to Urban Outfitters for an after-party with dancing.

Connecticut folk-art exhibitor Allan Katz, whose offerings often sell in the first minutes of the show, will be one of the dealers on hand Saturday night. Happy to take part, he says: "I'm an educator. I love to spread the gospel. I'm not a hard-sell guy, I'm a passion guy."
"Young collectors have the opportunity to go to a show like this and ask questions. Pick up the objects, feel them, and there's a live person there to answer all your questions. They need to connect with the material visually, but also mentally."

Like so many of the exhibits at both weekend shows, Katz's folk art fits beautifully in classic or modern interiors. Why buy cheap new "design" that hits the trash pile five years later? Work out a payment plan to buy a worthwhile treasure that will last a lifetime.

NGANG NGUNG KANANG LOVE ATTRACTION THAI BUDDHA AMULET R

0 Bid

US $9.99

1h 33m

Antique Japanese H Colored Original Woodcuts EXCELLENT

1 Bid

US $45.26

1h 57m

KirihaZukuri Japanese Sword Kobuse Folded Steel 2396

0 Bid

US $298.74

1h 57m

PURSE RETICULE RARE CENTRAL ASIAN HANDMADE EMBROIDERY

0 Bid

US $46.97

2h 1m

ART DECO STERLING SILVER MARCASITE ONYX DROP EARRINGS

7 Bids

US $29.27

2h 10m

Large Long Indian Asian Ethnic Boho Earrings X87 SALE

US $3.05

2h 19m

Large Long Indian Asian Ethnic Boho Earrings X88 SALE

US $3.05

2h 23m

Large Long Indian Asian Ethnic Boho Earrings X89 SALE

US $3.05

2h 51m

China’s Antique Lovers Learn About Antiques on TV

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:06:27 +0000

China has in the past few years begun to buy back the antiques and art works that have for centuries been spread all over the world, and at the same time the country's new generation of collectors is learning how to recognize exactly what is real and what is not.
And much of that newfound knowledge has come thanks to a series of television which lift the lid on the nation's antique industry.
China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage claims there were 70 million antique collectors in the country in 2005 - but there are around 90 million now. And that increased interest has seen TV programmers acting fast.

China's state-run station CCTV launched the country's first show to deal directly with the antique industry - Artwork Investment - in 2001 but the country's media has this week reported there are now 50 such programs screening across the nation.
The top-rated Xun Bao - or "Treasure Hunt'' - airs weekly on CCTV-2 and claims 27 million viewers per episode.
That show features a team of experts searching for treasures in far-flung corners of China. They then explain how to identify what the piece is, when it was made - and what it might be worth.

Another top-rated show takes a different tact.
Tian Xia Shou Cang - or "World Collection'' - often gets collectors to bring their antiques in to the studio for appraisal. If they are found to be fakes, down comes a hammer to smash the offending piece to smithereens.

And the show's host, actor Wang Gang, makes no apologies. "This is done so the fakes never reappear on the market,'' he told the China Daily newspaper.

The common theme among the shows' producers is that they are helping protect Chinese culture. And Chinese collectors are doing the same.

Auction house Sotheby's will launch its massive Hong Kong Spring Auctions (http://www.sothebys.com) April 3-8 with 2,400 pieces up for grabs - including a significant Chinese antique section that organizers say has helped lift the estimated value of the entire collection to more than HK$1 billion (95 million euros).

And most of these items will stay in the region after the sale.

"In buying antiques [Chinese collectors] have a fixation about buying their own history,'' Nicholas Chow, International Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art at Sotheby's Hong Kong, told Chinese media this week.

China Contemporary Art Soars; Liu Ye Painting Sells for Record $2.5 Million

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:52:54 +0000

By Le-Min Lim

April 6 (Bloomberg) -- A painting by Liu Ye made HK$19.1 million ($2.5 million) at a Hong Kong sale yesterday, the most for a Chinese contemporary artist in two years, in a sign that prices are returning to pre-credit-crisis levels.

Liu’s acrylic-and-oil “Bright Road,” showing a smiling couple with a flaming jet in the background, sold for an artist record. It was one of seven Chinese contemporary works that made $1 million or more at Sotheby’s sale, fueled by mainland and Indonesian money. During last year’s crisis, bidders passed on similar works offered at a third of yesterday’s prices.

“Demand for the best Chinese contemporary artworks is back,” Eric Huang, a Taipei-based buyer and dealer, said in an interview at the auction. “Don’t be surprised to see prices match or even beat pre-crisis levels very soon.”
Values of top Chinese contemporary art fell 70 percent during the financial rout from the peak in May 2008 when Zeng Fanzhi’s painting of Red Guards fetched HK$75.4 million in Hong Kong. Asian art buyers turned to antiques and works by established or dead artists, seen as safer stores of value.

The Chinese contemporary art auction raised HK$145 million. Adding revenue from the sale of Southeast Asian and older Chinese paintings, Sotheby’s tallied HK$316.8 million yesterday. On April 3, the company fetched HK$50 million from its sold-out wine auction. Sotheby’s auction continues today with the sale of classical Chinese works, mostly of watercolor on ricepaper.

At yesterday’s auction, Wang Wei, wife of millionaire stock-investor Liu Yiqian, bought the Liu Ye painting, among others, said Tian Kai, a Beijing based dealer who advises Wang. Earlier, she won a Zao Wou-ki painting for HK$15.2 million.
‘Add Another Zero’

Asked if prices have risen too much, Wang said, “Not even if the sellers were to add another zero to the tag.”
In a black tracksuit and toting a patent-red bag, she then turned toward her posse of friends and advisers to shout, “Children, let’s now go look at the Ju Ming sculpture in the exhibition hall.”

“Sotheby’s prices are the cheapest,” said Kevin Ching, Sotheby’s Asia chief executive, who was among those to follow Wang from the salesroom.

In previous Hong Kong auctions, Wang had few rivals in the room. This time, she faced competition from Indonesian buyers, who bought all categories of Asian art, including Chinese contemporary and works by masters such as Zao.
Indonesian Buying

Indonesia’s benchmark stock index has doubled from a year ago to a record, creating wealth that’s used to buy art.
Singapore-based dealer Aniela Rahardja said she had bid as much as HK$15 million on behalf of an Indonesian client for Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guoqiang’s 1991 “A Certain Lunar Eclipse,” a 7-panel gunpowder-and-ink on Japanese paper artwork that sold for HK$18.6 million to an unidentified buyer.

“The Indonesians are buying quite aggressively at this auction,” said Tian Kai.
The most-expensive painting sold at yesterday’s auction was a 1960s oil work of Balinese villagers by Indonesia’s Lee Man Fong that fetched a Southeast Asian art record HK$25.3 million.

Lee’s “Bali Life,” depicting a rustic scene of the islanders at rest, was bought by an unidentified Asian private collector, according to Sotheby’s.

Works by China-born, French-trained Zao (born in 1921), the most valuable Chinese artist at auction last year, did as well as top contemporary Chinese artworks. The abstract artist’s oil painting “4.4.1959” fetched HK$20.8 million, more than twice the top estimate.
Sotheby’s and rival Christie’s International hold biannual auctions in Hong Kong that are barometers of Asia’s art market.

Liu Ye's lesser known works are available below at very affordable prices. Perhaps one of these works will increase exponentially in value as well.

Peach Blossom Shangri la Asian Chinese Calligraphy

US $99.00

25d 1h

Sothebys Global Contemporary Artists 01 06 2010

US $19.99

24d 4h 13m

X181Chinese Oil Painting of Character Liu Ye

US $29.90

18d 5h 56m

X195Chinese Oil Painting of Character Liu Ye

US $29.90

16d 20h 55m

Liu Ye Miaow TWO 2008 Frameable Art Ads

US $21.99

10d 11h 44m

Liu Ye Red I 2009 Art Ad

US $15.00

7d 12h 36m

Liu Ye Art Ad Poster Detail

US $29.99

5d 12h 18m

Handpaint Girl Oil Painting On Canvas By LiuYeLuggage

US $37.00

4d 18h 32m

Antique Ming Porcelain

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:40:38 +0000

Ceramic production during the reign of Hongzhi maintained the fine quality associated with wares produced in the Chenghua period. However, during the reign of Zhengde there was a notable decline in draughtsmanship and potting, which lasted until the end of the Ming Dynasty.

Polychrome Wares
From the Chenghua period the use of lead-fluxed, overglaze enamels became increasingly common. Underglaze blue was combined with these colors, which were fired a second time at a much lower temperature. One the finest wares known as doucai...contrasted colors”) pieces, the outline of the design was traced in underglaze blue, and then yellow, green, aubergine-purple, and red enamels were painted on before a second firing to create a jewel-like effect. Douche pieces are generally small, fine, and extremely well made; decoration includes figures, plants, and animals, often in briefly painted landscapes. Wares include “chicken cups” – small wine-cups with designs of hens and cockerels with peonies.

The wucai (”five colors”) style, using the same palette as doucai, was introduced in the Jiajing reign period. While underglaze-blue outlines were still used, they were often replaced with overglaze black or red. The decoration developed along different lines, with fish, water-weed, ducks, and figure scenes becoming increasingly popular. Dragons appear in all manner of wises, with wings, and with flowers or jewels in their Months, arranged around bowls and jars or as circular medallions. Wucai decoration was used on large as well as small pieces and is generally not as neat or refined Lis doucai. The color yellow, which had imperial connotations, was used together with bold designs of fruits and flowers in underglaze blue from the Xuande to the Jiajing reign period. For example, in the Zhengde period a common design consisted of green dragons on a white background, achieved by marking the design in wax resist then glazing the ground with white, firing, painting the reserved design in green enamel, and finally refiring at a lower temperature.

Blue-and-White Wares
Blue-and-white wares made during the Chenghua period are regarded as some of the finest porcelains ever produced. Technically they are superb, with light, thin bodies and a glassy glaze. The blue on early Chenghua pieces is dark – an almost blue-black associated with the use of imported cobalt; the later wares have a much lighter, clearer blue derived from local ore from the Raozhou Prefecture around Jingdezhen. It is applied very evenly, in designs of dragons and phoenixes, landscape scenes, or the very fine flower scrolls that adorn the so-called “Palace” ware. This was made in the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, the most typical item being a bowl with inverted rim, known as a “Palace” bowl.

The reign period of Hongzhi is largely a continuation of the Chenghua style, but it may be viewed as a watershed in the Ming dynasty since after it standards clearly began to decline. Even the best of the later Ming wares never reached the heights of the 15th-century work. As the 16th century advanced, the deterioration manifested itself in the increasing number of flaws in the poorly refined clay, and in the more casual brushwork, although the latter often has great appeal. During the reign of Jiajing the quality of blue improved. A rich, saturated purplish cobalt, termed “Muhammadan” blue, was introduced and was used on many porcelains in this and the later Ming reigns of Longqing and Wanli. Imperial quality wares are dressed in a thick and smooth glassy glaze with a strong bluish cast. Almost all later Ming porcelains oxidized during firing, and while this thin reddish veneer may be worn by the passage of time, it is usually still visible at the margin of the glaze oil the base or foot rim.

Export Wares
During the reign of Wanli the export of Chinese porcelain expanded, with large numbers of blue-and wares made purely for export. Among these pieces, kraak ware, which was produced from the Wanli period, is particularly important. It takes its name from the Dutch rendering of the Portuguese for “carrack”, Or merchant ship, two of which, carrying Chinese porcelain, were captured by the Dutch in 1602 and 1604. Kraak ware of this period has a fairly thin, light body, which is prone to chipping at the edges. The blue, often evenly applied in washes, is inclined to be rather watery and thin.

The use of panels on bowls and dishes increased in the late 16th century; all wares of this type are called kraak ware. On kraak howls and dishes the decoration radiates from a central circular panel. After c.1570 the most common themes found on kraak porcelain are floral, including a highly stylized and barely recognizable form of the peony, lotuses, chrysanthemums, and other flowers issuing from rocks. Other motifs were also popular, such as precious objects or symbols tied with ribbons, and crickets, beetles, and butterflies.

Decorative Themes
Dragons and phoenixes remained the most important decorative motifs throughout the Ming period, but other designs also became increasingly popular. In the Chenghua period a very fine arrangement of lilies and other flowers in underglaze blue seas used to decorate the exteriors of the dishes known as “Palace” bowls. Emperor Chenghua was a devout Buddhist, and this is reflected in the use of Buddhist symbols on some pieces from this period. During the reign of Zhengde, who was tolerant of the Islamic religion in China, a unique style of decoration using Arabic or Persian script was applied to a wide range of blue-and-white wares that were predominantly intended for the scholar’s desk. These included pen rests, small lamps, incense burners, and, in a few very rare instances, bowls. The script is enclosed within medallions against a background of scrolls and sometimes stylized lotus designs. These wares always carry the six-character mark of Zhengde, whereas almost all other dishes of this period have a four-character mark.

The decoration of 16th-century Ming wares is less refined, more chaotic in its arrangement, and much more freely drawn than that of the 15th century. The designs show the influence of illustrations from popular literature, which was becoming widely available at this time. On wares of the Jiajing period, children, scholars, animals, and flowers are depicted in gardens, on terraces, or in open landscapes. Daoist subjects, for example the sage Laozi and the Eight Immortals (legendary or historical individuals who are associated with the philosophy of Dao), were increasingly incorporated into the decoration on these wares, as were the associated symbols of long life, such as the lingzhi fungus, deer, cranes, peaches, pine trees, the Chinese character short (often elaborated into the form of a peach tree), and herons.

15th Century Ming Dynasty Blue White Globular Vase

0 Bid

US $78.29

9h 8m

95 Chinese Ming Dy Wanli Mark Green Meiping Vase

6 Bids

US $36.02

10h 48m

Fine Chinese Ming Zhengde Blue White Vase

4 Bids

US $34.45

10h 58m

Fine 59 Chinese Jiajing Mark Blue Whie Bowl

1 Bid

US $15.65

11h 17m

Antique Chinese Porcelain Sweet Meat Dish Plate Set

0 Bid

US $79.99

15h 58m

Collectable turquoise sculptures statuerush horse

0 Bid

US $.99

18h 4m

The Beauty of Asian Antiques

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:44:55 +0000

As even a casual observer will tell you, there is a great deal of variety when you consider the art that comes out of Asia. The history of countries like Japan and China go back literally thousands of years, and by taking a look at what these lands have to offer in the way of gorgeous antiques is just one more way to appreciate true artistic ability, craftsmanship and history.

Chinese art, for example, is divided into periods relating to the dynasty that ruled the country. Chinese art can range from simple yet exquisitely glazed ceramic bowls to the popular and incredibly beautiful jade figurines. The Shang dynasty, for intance, was known for its blue casting, while China as a whole maintained a long tradition of beautiful porcelain. The arrival of Buddhism to China around 100 AD led to a great deal of religiously themed art as well.

Japanese art, on the other hand, has a reputation for being simpler than Chinese art, although this has not always been the case. The Japanese aesthetic is one that has changed over the years and today, many people associate it with grace, elegance, and a very spare, spartan beauty. One of the areas that Japanese art is best known for, though, is in textiles, particularly with regards to their kimonos. These robes are often one of a kind and when made by a real master, often have their own names and infrequently worn and more often displayed.

When you are looking for Chinese or Japanese statues to grace your home, you'll find that there are many choose from, and that you'll have a choice of many different materials. Both countries have elevated ceramic and porcelain into a fine art form, and you can still find carved figurine statues of jade, wood and stone. You can find plenty of statues of the Buddha, of the Eight Immortals, and of the Japanese folk hero Momotaro, or you can find statues of more homely things, like cats, dogs or children.

Upon examination, Chinese art and Japanese art both abounds with dragons. In Asia, these powerful, serpentine beasts were more associated with good than they are with evil, and more connected with water than with fire. Large bodies of water were thought to have dragons slumbering under them, and buildings are often not built more than a certain height to make sure that dragons that live in the mountains can see the ocean. You'll find both Chinese and Japanese art loves to depict these creatures, who were often symbols of imperial rule.

Take some time to take a look at the elegance and beauty that can grace your home through the display of Asian antiques, and you'll find that you have excellent reasons to make sure that you see what these pieces of art can bring to your environment!

Asian Cloisonne Vases

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:17:40 +0000

by Jane S. Rosen

Cloisonne is a unique combination of skills copper and porcelain, traditional painting, sculpture, engraving and abilities. Originally from Beijing during the dynasty Yuan (1271-1368), cloisonné is a complex process that requires many years of training to master craftsman.

Cloisonné underwent a change important during the Ming Dynasty around 1426-1456, when he found a blue glaze, which gives cloisonné her look beautiful, and is still used today. Ming Dynasty cloisonné is considered the most complex.
Cloisonne pieces can be found on large objects such as vases and other utensils large and decorative items and small items like earrings, bracelets, chopsticks or jars.

The making of a masterpiece
When visiting China, be sure to visit Factory cloisonne. It is an experience you will never forget. Cloisonné requires many hours of pain staking work of The Chinese artisans have mastered the entire process. It's amazing what each of the architects of the merger in detail the creation of these beautiful parts.

Step 1: Design Cloisonne
The first step in creating one of these pieces brilliant cloisonné © is creating the design. Artists draw the design on a sheet of paper, which is then passed to another artisan in the process.

Step 2: Base Hammering
In this step, copper sheets hammered into a piece of glaze, if is a large vessel or a small bracelet. The seams are sealed with copper solder and then the piece is placed in a soldering furnace. It's a waste of time and must be optimal way to achieve the desired effect.

Step 3: Copper Wire Bent
Unknown to most people, is not divided in a single piece of enamel. It is constructed instead of hundreds or thousands of small copper son bonded to the copper base. Workers shape a copper wire little with the design that the designer has requested. These designs can be complex, small birds, flowers or any of the hundreds of other designs. The son attached with small tweezers and pliers. The son Copper is then bonded to the surface of the brass. Then another worker puts silver solder between the wire copper and red copper body. Evidence is then put into the oven where the son of copper are welded to the base.

Step 4: Enamel Filling
After cooling, Polish workers' party and then complete the design of enameled wire materials according to the color design. The workers are sitting at a table with a hose small suction to suck the enamel of the color plates in the tube.
After completing the child with enamel, workers absorb any remaining moisture with cotton. The piece is placed in an oven for the first firing. During firing, the enamel is reduced. Thus, when cooled, workers fill more materials and fire again. This whole process is repeated three times the enamel completely fills the son of copper.

Step 5: Polishing
The last step in this process in question is polishing. Workers emery stone to polish the Use © cloisonne until very smooth. They provide the basic material color of the enamel wire copper. If there are places where the enamel is not very regularly with the son of copper, more enamel is added and the piece is fired again. The polishing process begins again. Then a soft yellow stone is used to grind large imperfections. Coal Wood is used to grind the last piece of high gloss.

Creating magnificent cloisonne pieces we see today takes time, patience and ingenuity. Whatever type of room divided you, is sure to add beauty and elegance to your home or office.
About the Author:

Jane S. Roseen is the Owner and President of Harmony Sweets, an international gourmet chocolate shop. Harmony Sweets’ mission focuses on individual consumers purchasing gourmet chocolates from around the world for their friends and relatives, as well as corporate gift-giving. Gourmet chocolate gift baskets and personalized chocolates are also available.
Website:

http://www.harmonysweets.com

Cloisonne Vase fine designcaller deep cobalt blue base

0 Bid

US $49.79

1h 36m

Antique Small Brass Cloisonné Vase

0 Bid

US $44.36

1h 54m

VINTAGE PAIR CLOISONNE VASES ON WOODEN STANDS

1 Bid

US $18.10

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Antique Japanese CLOISONNE Large VASE MEIJI 1880 MUST C

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ANTIQUE ORIENTAL CLISONNE VASE C19th perfect cond 9

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CHINESE CLOISONNE FLOWER CRANE VASE ▃▄▅▆▇███▇▆▅▄

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Huge Refined Brass Lifelike CRANE Cloisonne Vase 12

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6h 10m

CHINESE CLOISONNE FLOWER VASE ▃▄▅▆▇███▇▆▅▄

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A Guide to Qing Porcelain before 1800

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:15:12 +0000

Qing before 1800
Following the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty by the Qing Dynasty in 1644, production at Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province was severely disrupted until 1677, when one of the classic eras of porcelain production began. This lasted until c.1750.

BLUE-AND-WHITE WARES
Blue and white dominated the export market during this period, but these wares were not prominent among the ceramics made at the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen. Before 1800 Qing imperial blue-and-white wares tended to imitate early Ming versions, particularly from the Yongle (1403-24) and Xuande (1426-35) reign periods, with decoration that was carefully spaced. The designs on these pieces are generally formal, measured arrangements showing stylized lotus flowers among scrolling foliage. The blue was applied in imitation of the “heaped and piled” effect that connoisseurs so admired in the early Ming wares. Often the reign mark used on those wares was used again in deference to the earlier period.

ENAMELLED WARES
Enamelled porcelains came into their own during the Qing period, replacing blue-and-white wares as the focus of technical and artistic innovation. The technical advances signalled by the development of famille-verte and famille-rose wares greatly enhanced the decorative possibilities of the medium, while the body had now become so refined and delicate as to be the perfect foil for artistic virtuosity. Increasingly, the white porcelain was not so much decorated as painted in the manner of silk-scroll painting.

The famille-verte palette was first introduced during the late 17th century as a development of the wucai palette. In early famille verte the blue is applied under the glaze in the Ming wucai style, but distinguished from it by a generally brighter palette. In the mature famille verte, which dates from the last years of the 17th century, the blue was applied over the glaze and is transparent. Gold was sometimes applied to famille verte wares of the early 18th century. The designs on these wares tended to be detailed representations of nature, including dramatic rocky landscapes and flowers, or precious objects such as classic vases and items for the scholar’s desk.

The famille-rose palette was created c.1720, at the end of the Kangxi reign period. The palette is named after one of the constituent colours – opaque pink enamel, which was achieved using gold. The palette also includes Lin opaque white and yellow that made blending and shading of colours possible in a way that could not be achieved with the transparent colours of the familleverte palette. This gave rise to the exquisitely refined decoration seen on porcelain of the Yongzheng period, with ink-and-wash-style landscapes or naturalistic depictions of flowers and fruit rendered in a painterly style against superbly clear white backgrounds. Among the most refined Yongzheng and Qianlong wares are famille-rose wares known as guyuexuan, which were painted in the imperial workshops. Some of these bear poetic lines or calligraphic designs, and they were copied widely in the 20th century.

MONOCHROMES
In this period monochromes were the ceremonial wares used by the emperor and had to be of the very finest quality. In the early 18th century copper-red glazes, which had been so highly prized in the early Ming period, were reintroduced. However, as a result of a longer firing time, these new colours are not as resonant and fresh as their earlier Counterparts, and they can be distinguished from the originals by the extra laver of clear glaze over the copper red. Copper oxide was also used to make the so-called “peachbloom” glaze, which was introduced at this time and applied to a limited range of small wares intended for the scholar’s table, including water droppers and brush rests. This glaze is characterized by the combination of a pinkish red and a cloudy greenish bloom, creating a colour reminiscent of the blush on a ripening peach.

REIGN MARKS
The practice of marking imperial wares with the name of a reign period was introduced during the early 15th century, and continued to the end of the Qing period. Either four or six (or, in very rare cases, eight) characters were inscribed in underglaze blue, and often enclosed within a double circle. In the Yongzheng period, seal-script reign marks became common, and during the succeeding Qianlong period they were the norm. Conventional script became popular again at the end of the 19th century. Reign marks should not be taken at face value when dating a piece, since it was common practice to inscribe wares with the mark of art earlier reign period, particularly those of the much-esteemed Nling period and especially of Emperor Chenghua (1465-87). This was not so much a question of fraud as of admiration for and imitation of antiquity.

The experimentation with monochrome glazes resulted in many innovative effects, such as the speckled turquoise and dark-bloc “robin’s-egg” glaze, which is thought to have been inspired by the Jun wares of the Song period. The “teadust” glaze is created when iron oxide is underfired, resulting in a mottled green on a yellowish-brown background. The “iron-rust” glaze is
a streaked reddish-brown with a metallic sheen, achieved by cooling the ware very rapidly after firing. The pale-little Clair-de-lone glaze was created by incorporating a very small amount of cobalt blue and was applied only to the most delicate wares.

“ARCHAIC” WARES
The Qing emperors, especially Qianlong, were avid collectors of antiquities, and many Qing imperial ceramics closely imitate ancient models. This is particularly evident in the traditional forms that were favoured, which include pastiches of early bronzes and jades and also of classic ceramics of the Song and Ming Dynasties; some wares were made using a combination of the two forms. The Qing potters also tried to re-create the glazes applied to the archaistic pieces of the Song period; these included thick, crackled glazes used on Guan wares. The Qing copies are generally smoother and shinier than the originals.

Qing reign periods Shunzhi ( 1644-6 1 ) Kangxi(1662-1722) Yongzheng (1723-35) Qianlong ( 1736-95) Jiaqing (1796-1820)
Daoguang ( 182 1 —50) Xianfeng (1851-61)
Tongzbi ( 1862-74)
Guangxu (1875-1908) Xuantong (1909-11 )
• BODY very fine white porcelain
• POTTING extremely neat with smooth, rounded foot-rims, the bases of bowls and dishes arc flat, unlike the slightly convex form of the bases of Ming wares; there are no visible joins on vases and pots
• GLAZES a wide range of innovative glazes appears on monochromes; imitations of crackled Song-period Guan glazes are found on “archaic” pieces
• ENAMELS many colours enhanced with opaque white and yellow in the famille-rose palette, permitting shading and more decorative potential
• FORMS small, fine pieces for delicate porcelains as well as imitations of archaic bronze and jade forms
• Di CORATION blossoming and fruiting branches
rendered in a painterly manner; emblems of good luck, such as the characters sbou (long life) and fu (bat), are often integrated into the designs
Reign marks
Reign marks for Shunzhi and Kangxi are always written in conventional script; for the period of Yongzheng they may be written in the same manner or in seal script; Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang are usually done in seal characters; from the Xianfeug reign onward, marks may be written in either style.

Long Live Mao EARLY MAO ZEDONG TSE TUNG BADGE 007 1

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37m

Fine Jade Carvings Jadeite Chinese Works of Art

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1h 29m

chinese pocerlain vase 43 cm fencai Qing

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US $10.50

3h 7m

chinese pocerlain vase 43 cm fencai Qing

1 Bid

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chinese pocerlain vase 43 cm fencai Qing

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chinese pocerlain vase 43 cm fencai Qing

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CHINESE TIBET SILVER TURQUOISE BEAD SNUFF BOTTLE SBS092

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5h 55m

Rare Qing Period Chinese Vase w Transitional Seal Mark

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6h 5m

Chinese Song Porcelain

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:30:17 +0000

Located in the northeastern part of Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen, the capital of porcelain in China is at the junction of the province of Jiangxi and Anhui Province and bounded on the east by the province of Zhejiang. The city is also surrounded by the famous tourist attractions such as Mount Lushan mountain dragon and tiger, Sanqing mountain, Mount Huangshan, Mount Jiuhua and others. There are two Great Lakes, Lake and Poyang Lake in Qiandao Chunan (One-Thousand-Island), on both sides of the famous city. The whole area of Jingdezhen is the transition belt between the plateau and the Poyang Lake Mountain and Huangshan Mountain Huaiyu. The northeastern and northwestern parts of the mountainous region of eastern and southern land of hills and plains. Features topographic slope from north to south-west.

Jingdezhen has favorable natural conditions and subtropical climate. The average annual temperature is about 17 and half-frost period Free is 285 days. It has abundant rainfall and sunshine. The hot and humid weather is entirely appropriate for crops and plants and natural vegetation, especially pine, fir and bamboo, lush. Their tea is also very well known. Most important, Jingdezhen has a large pool of such high quality raw materials such such as kaolin and stone for the production of porcelain china in mountainous region. The main river flowing through the region of Jingdezhen is the river born in the playful exchange of rings Queen County mountain province. It crosses the whole region from north to south and empties into the Yangtze River via Lake Poyang. The three Jingdezhen Region tributaries of the East River, West River and South of the river flow in the Yangtze River in different ranges. Most places where the flow of three tributaries are important sources of raw materials for porcelain production and fuel. In ancient times, when traffic ground was not good enough, the transport water in the Yangtze River and its tributaries, has played an important role in the development of the porcelain industry in Jingdezhen. Jingdezhen City are as called Changnan found mostly south of Changjiang River. It has been said that the English word pronunciation has evolved Jingde of Changnan in the period of the dynasty Song, the city's name was changed in Jingdezhen City or of Changnan Jingde From there, it became increasingly known for its exquisite porcelain described as being white as jade, thin as paper, bright white crystal and so sweet that sounds like a stone from the old bells now is the universally recognized title = "Te Chen Ching "> capital of China.