Private Collection

Chinese Ethnic Silver Necklaces

2008-12-23T08:53:00.001-05:00

Many years ago when I first became enchanted with the world of Chinese personal ornaments, I stumbled across an Australian dealer who was selling Chinese ethnic necklaces that I had never seen before...

…huge and dramatic with styles that ranged from baroque elaboration to a modernistic simplicity ... and since I am a 'magpie' that can not resist shiny things... I bought several pieces to hang on the wall as art... then I had to collect a few more... of course!

These large necklaces (many are over 18” in diameter and weighing well over a pound) are also called torques. They have been popular in China since the Tang Dynasty ( A.D. 618. - A.D. 907)... and remain popular today with many of Southwestern China's ethnic minority groups... Miao (Mong/Hmong, Dong, Zhuang, Li and others.)

In 2006, the Kunsthal Museum in Rotterdam presented a major exhibit of Chinese ethnic minority silver and textiles. A wonderful book was produced with the exhibit: The Art of Silver Jewelry: From the minorities of China, The Golden Triangle, Mongolia and Tibet ... copies are still available on Amazon. The book has many photos and explains in detail the stylistic differences in the work of the various ethnic minorities.

I have always been interested in the relationship between these necklaces and 20th century modern art. This torque has always been my favorite... it reminds me of the jewelry made by Alexander Calder towards the end of his career... continuous wire with no solder joints.

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Guest Post - CC ...Talks About Jade

2008-12-16T09:03:00.001-05:00

We are pleased to have our guest blogger, CC, back again to talk about "What is Jade?" and how the concept has changed from the traditional Chinese to modern era.

Today, I will begin with a question for you. What is “Jade”? The word comes from an ancient Spanish word “Piedra de ijada”, which appeared first in 16^th century medical papers in Spain.....

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Two Years Goes By So Quickly!

2008-12-11T11:44:00.002-05:00

It is our second anniversary already! Thank you to our readers... your support and response has been wonderful.

Since PrivateCollection is a Photo-Blog, I asked Bob if he had any special unpublished photos to celebrate the event along with some commentary......

Susan in her first post wrote: "The history of the human race is recorded in its' jewelry ...so part of the excitement for me is discovering where an ornament fits in the historic landscape ...what it meant to the original owners."

The doll above was used to illustrate that post. I had never done a portrait of a doll. When I see this image now, it feels very real...it is almost like he is looking over 'his' collection.

The symbolism in the Chinese jewelry is always strong... but there are pieces where the symbols become the subject. This Qilin from the August 8, 08 Chinese Ingenuity in Silver post, has a personality of its own that is remarkable.

Then there are the pieces that are just fun. When I shot the series for the Chinese King Fisher Set post, I actually did some time-lapse photos of the dragons dancing around the broach... probably not the most efficient use of my time... but...

After I did it, I became aware of just how much 'life' there is in so many of the pieces... I began looking at all of the pieces differently. I spend much more time trying to find the essence of each one. Sometimes I get lucky and they let me capture it in a photo.

I would like to join with Susan and thank everyone taking the time to visit our site and sending the great feedback that makes doing this such a joy!

Guest Contributor... CC, From Hong Kong

2008-12-03T16:17:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I talked about how important it is to have people to call on to help solve the mysteries that are part of collecting Chinese ornaments. Collectors love to share their knowledge and experiences ... so we are inviting guests to contribute posts. We are really thrilled to introduce our first guest contributor....

Hello,

I am CC, from Hong Kong.

I have been asked to be a guest blogger on “Chinese Jade” for Susan’s PrivateCollection PhotoBlog. It is indeed my pleasure and honour to do so.

What I am going to write about will be some basics on Chinese jade collecting, especially antique nephrite jades carved in the last millennium but before the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. I will try to share what I know with a view to clearing some of the myths and misunderstanding of Chinese jade by westerners.

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Chinese Hollow Carved Serpentine Beads

2008-11-29T10:37:00.001-05:00

My readers know that I love a good mystery... so perhaps the title of this post should really be... "The Mystery of the Chinese Hollow Carved Serpentine Beads... Vintage or Antique?"

We found this string of over 100 beads in the U.S. The beads are approximately 22mm ...hollow carved, some pierced 12 times, some 16... we bought them from a gentleman who said they had been sitting in an Oklahoma warehouse for 50 or 60 years.

They were so dirty and caked with grime that it was impossible to tell exactly what they were but they had the appearance of carved jade head beads from Mandarin Court Necklaces...the carving was amazing.

It took me over three weeks to hand clean each bead inside and out with Q-Tips... there were different colors, sizes and two variations of carving... so a lot of time was also spent sorting and matching the beads.

There was an old label stuck to the string written in Chinese. Westerners hear stories of large amounts of beads from Mandarin Necklaces having been gathered and sold by the lot to the West. Were these a totally amazing collection of old head beads or a more modern creation in the style of the Qing Dynasty? Were they labeled when they were sorted or when they were carved?

The label was a bit of a challenge... the writing was faded in places and torn in others... but with the help of Bob's brother who frequently travels to China and one of our customers in Hong Kong, we were able to determine: they were labeled serpentine... from a factory in Henan Province... part of a date 'May' and because the Chinese characters were in the simplified form ... it was felt that it was from early PRC.

There are 20 varieties of serpentine with various colors and hardness... it is frequently used in China for decorative carvings because it is softer and easier to carve than jade... but the two are often confused ...one type of serpentine, called bowenite, is also referred to as Shou Chow Jade (Soochow jade) which has added to the confusion.

"Serpentine and bowenite are often used as jade substitutes by oriental carvers, and sold as jade by Western dealers...most dealers are honest but few are knowledgeable about jade." Arthur and Grace Chu, Oriental Antiques and Collectibles.

When we brought the beads to my favorite gemologist, Ralph Schroetter, he confirmed that they were serpentine. The large 5mm hole on two sides allowed the craftsman to create such a large space, Ralph was able to take photos of the inside of the bead.

Photos: Ralph Schroetter

While the style of the beads is similar to the carving of head beads for a court necklace... the tool marks suggest a much later date...

Solving a mystery sure requires a lot of 'leg work'... We have spent more time consulting authorities and examining these beads than any other piece I have written about. ... but in the end I believe that I can say that these are... beautiful Chinese Hollow Carved Serpentine Vintage (c.1950) Beads carved in a Classical style.

Case closed!

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Small Jade Buttons

2008-11-06T07:24:00.002-05:00

Many people I talk with seem to believe that only wealthy people are able to collect real jade... and that is not true. Most unset jade buttons and flowers just like these appear on today's market at very reasonable prices.

The small jades in these photos are commonly called 'buttons or 'flowers'... they have been made in China for almost 2,000 years... each is hand carved. The white jade buttons are usually older than the green.

The contrast between newer export styles and traditional hair ornaments ... the jade buttons seem to have a timeless presence.

In China they were used as pendants, earrings, buttons or attached to ladies hair ornaments... they are most commonly carved in the form of flowers, birds or Qilin.

For most of the twentieth century, buttons were recycled and set in jewelry to be sold to the Western markets- like this brooch below and earrings pictured above.

With a bit of luck and perseverance, one could probably collect a hundred different examples of these miniature carvings... many, centuries old...

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Moss on Snow Seed Pearl Necklace

2008-10-28T09:39:00.002-05:00

'Moss on snow' is the popular name for a type of jade with patterns of white and green... and this lovely pendant with a seed pearl necklace is the best example of moss on snow in the collection... and the carving is very special.

The Chinese have been perfecting the craft of stone carving for several thousand years... pieces like the 'Devils Work' and all the carved beads are good examples... delicate carving, excellent workmanship...the patience of the Chinese carver reflected in every facet of the work.

This moss on snow carving has something extra that moves it into the realm of art ...this carver has looked into the raw stone ...seen a pattern within it ...allowed the pattern to emerge... all the melons are the bright greens... the background white. The design has not been imposed upon the stone...it has emerged from it... and that is the difference between art and craft.


This unknown Chinese artist reminds me of the Italian artist Michelangelo... when he carved his famous statue of David, he is reported to have said that; "the form existed inside of the uncut stone and it was the artist's (his) job to cut away the excess"...

How do two artists from different centuries and continents arrive at the same conclusion? Isn't it fun to wonder?

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Sycee Silver Bracelet

2008-10-15T11:31:00.002-05:00

This is the most expressive piece of jewelry in the collection. The stone head with its aged patina... the delicately carved scales of the dragonfish that surround the head ...suggest a story ... a story that goes back to the period of the Second Opium War (1856-1860).

One of the great American experts on objects from the "China trade' is Carl Crossman... his books are on every collector's shelf ...and for many years he appeared on the PBS Network's Antiques Road show as an appraiser.

When this bracelet appeared with an unusual mark: SYCEE #23, I searched his book "Decorative Arts of the China Trade" for a remembered paragraph... Crossman describes an ornate Chinese silver ewer with this engraving: "This jug is made from Sycee silver taken from the Chinese at the storming and capture of the Taku Forts, August, 1860." (Sycee is a type of silver ingot).

Descriptions of the battles at Taku say; "The forts were surrounded by liquid mud and swampland... with deep water courses intersecting it in all directions".

This bracelet suggests water... the silver in the form of two dragonfish that surround the head... a stone that looks like a chunk of mud ... the patina of a stone that has been under water or buried.

The Crossman reference shows that keepsakes were made of Sycee silver from Taku ...is it possible this very unusual bracelet is one of them?

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Mutton Fat Jade Earrings

2008-10-07T06:56:00.001-05:00

More Devil's Work White Jade... Sometimes when I am looking for a piece, I feel like a huntress stalking my prey... looking under every leaf and branch for signs... peering around every tree... catching a glimpse while trying not to get too excited... and then finally.... success!

This Devil's Work necklace came into my life about two years ago ...it is certainly one of my favorites...the most delicate carving that I have ever owned...but ever since I bought it, one question has troubled me... "what earrings can I wear with this?"

Men may laugh but women will understand this question... the rarity of the carving demands earrings of the same quality.

So, in pursuit of the matching earrings, I hunted through auction catalogues and every online site I could think of. I found one pair that turned out to be broken... another pair with the same carving but different color stone... then finally...the same stone and the same carved baskets... the female equivalent of bagging a moose...!

Hmmm... now all I have to do is find some of those tiny red beads to replace the seed pearls... the hunt begins again.

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Rock Crystal Art Deco Beads

2008-09-25T07:40:00.001-05:00

These rock crystal beads are early 20th century. Most of the Chinese beads I have written about were carved in the 18th or 19th century ...those beads are carved, pierced, reticulated and spherical... because the necklaces were created with beads from Mandarin Court strings.

This 27" necklace was made for the Western market...the beads are graduated in size from 10mm-13mm, a style that became popular c. 1920-1930 ...carved with the Shou symbol on two sides and a flowing design on the other two... pure elegance.

Rock crystal is a member of the quartz family...related to rose quartz, smoky quartz and amethyst. It was used for decorative carving in ancient Egypt and Persia. In the 14th to 17th century rock crystal became popular among the European Aristocracy ...it again became popular in the early 20th century and used for beads in famous 'pools of light' necklaces.

The simplicity of the carving has a distinct art deco feel. In 1925, the Exposition of International Decorative Arts and Modern Industry was held in Paris. It was a turning point in the history of modern design in the western world. The 'Art Deco' movement rejected the serpentine lines of Art Nouveau and embraced a cleaner more geometric style.

One of the most influential jewelers in Paris at that time was Cartier ...Louis Cartier created some of his most famous Art Deco designs using Chinese carved stones and rock crystal collected on trips to the orient.

Photos of the Cartier Oriental pieces can be seen in the book "Cartier" by Hans Nadelhoffer.

The book is amazing...probably the most beautiful jewelry book I have ever seen... and I have seen many...many.

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Carved Mala Prayer Beads

2008-09-16T07:48:00.001-05:00

While beads are often associated with adornment or jewelry, beads have been part of spiritual and religious practice...in all parts of the world...for tens of thousands of years. Prayer beads in Asia are often referred to as a mala ...the beads range from simple materials to elaborately carved rare stones.

A mala, commonly used by Hindus or Buddhists, may be any number of beads that can be evenly divided by 9. The Mandarin Court Necklace I wrote about August 15th, 2007... with 108 beads, is the largest Asian prayer string ...and is also referred to as a mala.

The first string features 16 carved white jade figures of monks with small carnelian beads (carved with the Shou symbol) I believe these jade monk beads at one time were part of a prayer string ... and the reason there are only 16 monks, is the set was separated and the other two were probably made into earrings.
		Another type of Chinese mala that appears fairly often is this string of 18 heads, carved from peach pits, each with a different facial expression... prized by many jewelry designers... these 19th century carved malas are often cut up and sold by the bead.

These 18 bead malas have their own name-they are referred to as the 18 Arhats or the 18 Lohan. The 18 Arhats are Buddhist and similar to the Eight Daoist Immortals ...humans who have transcended to another life...but they still have the ability to take action in events on earth.

I have to wonder if one of the attractions to these beads is not only their artistry... but the spirit they seem to radiate?

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Silver Wedding Necklace

2008-08-26T07:26:00.001-05:00

This early 20th century silver wedding necklace represents a transitional period (c.1900-1930) in Chinese jewelry. This necklace shows a western influence ...multiple linked plaques with a box tongue clasp...a change in style from the silver ornaments of the Qing Dynasty such as the Qilin necklace I wrote about earlier this year.

The workmanship is lovely...but lighter and more delicate than most 18th & 19th century Chinese works...two layers of silver in each panel...the front repoussé ...the back plain with both layers pierced to create a lacy affect.

It is marked on the clasp: SILVER CHINA NO23...a mark similar to the mark on the Qilin bracelet but without the initials...which suggests that #23 is the name of the workshop.

The symbols remain uniquely Chinese. Guan Yin is at the center and on either side of her is a figure holding a pair of fish, symbolizing abundance and harmony. The charm below the Guan Yin is a pomegranate, a symbol of fertility because it is full of seeds...another popular wedding gift ...so we can assume this necklace was a marriage gift for a bride.

Guan Yin is only one of the many names and spellings for the feminine goddess of mercy revered throughout China and other Asian countries for thousands of years... she does not usually appear in any of the export jewelry made for the west... it is nice to see that she has made the transition to the 20th century!

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Enamel Jade Cicada Ring

2008-08-14T06:35:00.001-05:00

This early 20th century ring features dark red and blue enamel...bats and Shou symbols with an earlier carved pale celadon jade cicada... which at one time may have been a pendent ...is lovely... and more.

The cicada, an insect symbolic of transformation, immortality and resurrection, has been carved in jade for thousands of years of Chinese history. There are over 2000 varieties of cicada, an insect with wide eyes on the sides of its head. They are found throughout the world, benign to animals and plants...they bury themselves in the earth, some for 17 years and then return to the surface and shed their skin.

This life pattern explains why the cicada is associated with rebirth... a jade cicada was sometimes placed in the mouth of the deceased. The cicada in China is similar to the scarab beetle in Ancient Egypt... where stones carved in the form of the beetle were placed on the chest of the deceased before burial.

Yesterday, I was wearing this ring and a jewelry dealer grabbed my hand and said "that's stunning!" ... and he was right!

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

New Gallery Listings

2008-08-04T15:57:00.001-05:00

We are pleased to announce new items have been added to the Listings Gallery. Please feel free to browse around and contact us if you have any questions!

Chinese Silver Enamel Eight Immortals Bracelet

c.1900, Rare. Eight curved and hinged panels enameled with the Eight Immortals. Unusual technique...solid back with open work repoussé top panels with areas of the un-enameled back exposed. Signed: SOLID SILVER. Length: 18.2cm. Width: 3.3cm.

Chinese White Jade Chrysanthemum Bracelet

2008-07-29T07:09:00.001-05:00

This is a classic example of an early (100-150 year old) carved stone used as the centerpiece for a 20th century Chinese bracelet… fine wirework silver mesh decorated with openwork cloisonné enameled bats and longevity symbols… the type of workmanship that can never be reproduced in today’s world.

The carving creates a uniqueness. While I have seen many variations of this bracelet over the last ten years, only once have I seen a duplicate carving.

The carved white jade flower, with 24 lobes, at the center of this bracelet is a chrysanthemum …a flower often associated with Japan because it is the crest of the Emperor of Japan. But, according to Wikipedia; the chrysanthemum was grown first in China as far back as 1500 BC. It was introduced to Japan in the 8th century AD …and brought to Europe in the 17th century on trade ships.

The Chinese chrysanthemum symbolizes autumn as well as longevity and endurance… a traditional gift of a pine branch and chrysanthemum blossoms carries the wish for long life to the recipient.

But for me, it is the elegant simplicity of this white jade that I will remember the longest… I can still see it with my eyes shut.

A New Home and Server Too!

2008-07-27T08:49:00.002-05:00

Not only have we settled into a new home... we have a new server too!

We are looking forward to posting a new series of articles and reopening our listings gallery!

Chinese Qing Dynasty Rank Purse

2008-05-29T07:12:00.001-05:00

At first glance this appears to be a lovely elaborately embroidered ladies handbag, silk thread on silk cloth with Peking glass handles. There is an interesting story behind this elegant purse.

During the Qing Dynasty officials wore badges sewn to their robes which indicated their rank and area of service. All military officials wore badges embroidered with specific animals... the civil officials wore badges embroidered with various birds. The badges were square... a solid square on the back of the jacket and a split square on the front at the opening.

This custom evolved over time and in the 19th century the wives of court officials were allowed to wear squares that indicated their husband's rank... with one difference... on a man's badge the animal or bird faces left on the wife's badge, it would face right.

So this handbag, embroidered with a peacock would have been the property of a woman married to a civil official of the third rank.

For more information, there is an interesting article on Wikipedia.

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese White Jade Beads

2008-05-20T05:37:00.001-05:00

My photographer had to spend a lot of time with these beads... they have a life and personality that changes with the time of day and light.

He offered to buy them so that he wouldn't have to photograph them anymore... I said "no!". So he presented me with six different lighting and background combinations and asked me to: "take my pick!"

I believe that these beads were originally part of a Mandarin Court Necklace. The 28 smaller 11 mm beads are semi-translucent white jade with pale green undertones... carved with a stylized Shou symbol on 4 sides. The three 20mm larger beads are an opaque pale green with the Shou on 2 sides and provide a stable contrast for the liveliness of the smaller beads.

These beads came from a man who told me; "my mother brought back a much larger necklace from a visit to China in the 1960's and had her jeweler make it into several separate necklaces which she gave to family and friends as a souvenir of her trip."

It makes me wonder... how many Mandarin Court Necklaces met a similar fate?

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Ingenuity in Silver

2008-05-07T13:53:00.001-05:00

As we looked at the list trying to decide what to write about next...it occurred to me that it made some sense to write about another Qilin to build on the information in the last 2 posts.

This 1920's bracelet is not only a great example of how a Qilin is used ornamentally but also the ingenuity found in Chinese silver jewelry.

From each end of the cuff a Qilin head grins at you...surrounded by floral and palm engravings... the top of the cuff is carved repoussé birds. The massive size and elaborate workmanship make this an ostentatious display of wealth and power.

[ photos by: RidgewoodEntrust ]

Several years ago I found a smaller bracelet with the same construction made of brass and copper.
Both bracelets have the same makers mark; #23 SG MADE IN CHINA... but clearly these were custom made for different wrists.

This is the most ingenious construction I have ever seen in a bracelet... The artist took the form of of the bracelet and turned the entire bracelet into a clasp.

We have shown this to several jewelry experts and they agree... what a remarkable combination of form and function... not to mention beauty!

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Chinese Silver Coral Qilin Bracelet

2008-04-22T06:40:00.001-05:00

The silver Qilin pendant in my last post is not the only use of this popular mythological figure in Chinese ornaments... the rank badges of high court officials would be embroidered with the Qilin, it appeared in all ornamental forms from paintings to paper lanterns.

This salmon coral carving of the Qilin is one of the rarer examples...likely a 19th century carving set c.1900-1930 as a bracelet...a custom setting ...one I have never seen before...features six Qilin in silver, repoussé carved and chased.

The mark is also informative: PEIPING CHINA SILVER BEE...

PEIPING is an older spelling of Peking; now Beijing. Very few pieces of Chinese jewelry identify the region in which the piece was made... here we have the place as well as the mark of the maker or workshop - BEE.

The field of Chinese export jewelry is a relatively new area for collectors ...there are no reference books...so collecting interesting marks like this one is almost as exciting as the rare coral carving.

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos... many in larger formats.

Chinese Silver Qilin and Bead Necklace

2008-04-10T06:36:00.001-05:00

The Qilin ( pronounced "chee-lin") is a mythological creature ....one of the four mythological creatures that have been part of Chinese culture for many centuries. Sometimes it is referred to as the Chinese Unicorn ...it is always a symbol for good fortune in many forms.

c. 19th century, Qilin with figure carrying a fan, all silver, front repoussé chased detail, flat back.

The Qilin necklace could be worn by a young man wishing for good grades on his civil service examinations or worn by a wife hoping to give birth to many sons. A smaller version might be worn by a child for protection. The Qilin also governed the west ...so it is connected with the ideas of maturity and fulfillment.

Traditionally, Chinese Silver ornaments such as this Qilin were worn simply with a heavy silver chain... the beads on this one were probably added some time during the 20th century to make the necklace more appealing to the western market.

At the time I purchased this, the old bead string was rotting and needed to be replaced. The beads themselves were so unusual and uncommon; translucent jade, melon carved silver, celadon carved with the Shou symbol, I made the decision to keep them together.

The Qilin pendants offered artisans who worked in silver an opportunity to express their creativity...you could probably spend a lifetime just collecting Qilins and never find two alike.

Visit PrivateCollection's PictureBook to see additional photos, many in a larger format.

Chinese Reeled and Plied Silk Thread

2008-03-31T07:38:00.001-05:00

The Mystery of the Mandarin Court Bead

People who know me will know that I love a good mystery... from Sherlock Holmes to Miss Marple and Joe Leaphorn... and for many years I have been puzzled by finding fabulous Chinese beads with holes that were so large that no standard thread was large enough to create a knot between the beads.

Bead people know that valuable beads and pearls are always strung on silk cord, knotted between each bead.

Last year I found this fragment of a Mandarin Court necklace... hollow carved bone beads...with a thread that I had never seen before. The 4mm hole in the bead was filled with a thread many times thicker than any commercial silk thread I have ever seen.

As my interest in collecting Chinese ornaments grew and I acquired more partial and complete court necklaces, I kept promising myself that 'someday soon' I would get back around to finding out more about that mysterious thread.

So finally this week I showed the thread to my fibre consultant Laurie Goldiuk who explained to me that this thread is handmade reeled silk... silk drawn from the cocoon of the silkworm ...multiple cocoons were simultaneously reeled and plied to create the thread you see here.

Mystery solved ...because so many court necklaces were cut up in the 20th century, the original thread was often discarded ...court necklaces were prayer beads and wouldn't be knotted ...and this thick plied silk used with the large holes would allow some movement of the beads and protect the precious stone beads from damage.

If you have a bit of time, there is also a very good web site [link] that illustrates the fascinating process that Asian artisans have used for centuries to produce silk.

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Chinese White Jade Caving

2008-03-19T09:21:00.005-05:00

The figures, bald and smiling are commonly referred to as the Heavenly Twins or Hoho Twins or Hehe-Erxian Twins...they symbolize perfect partnership and express the idea that harmony is more profitable than strife … so for centuries they were offered as wedding gifts in China.

This lovely example gives me an opportunity to compare two similar jade carvings... this and one from the 07-06-01 Chinese Wedding Set-Jade and Silver post.

The one on the left is from the previous post...the current piece is on the right.

Both pieces are white jade, both are hand carved and reticulated.. but this example is rarer than the first…the jade is a finer stone with more luster and the carving is more elaborate; all the edges are fully rounded and both sides of the stone are fully carved with the same scene … a tour de force of carving.

The custom gold frame is a later addition …and reflects the value the owner placed on this piece.

c.18th-19th century, carved white (mutton fat) jade Heavenly Twins... set in 20th century custom made 14KYG frame. Frame: 4.5cm x 5.8cm, Jade: 4cm x 5.5cm, Thickness: 5mm.

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Chinese Silver Jade Set by Liu

2008-03-12T06:17:00.001-05:00

In the world of Chinese silver jewelry and ornament, very few individual craftsmen have been identified.

Many dramatic pieces like the large enamel or Daoist Wedding Bracelet would logically have been the work of several artists ... a silversmith, a specialist in enameling and a stone carver ...so each piece is the product of a workshop not an individual artist.

So I was excited when I found this set... with the name of its artist... the same artist who set the sapphire and seed pearl necklace I featured in my December 06, 2007 post.

Liu has a distinct personal style ... no repoussé or carving ... his delicate floral's and figural symbols are engraved on vermeil. The style suggests to me that he worked in the period between 1890 and 1920 when this lighter style was very popular in western markets.

The quality of the stones he uses in the pieces I own...the fabulous sapphire ...the high grade translucent jade, also suggest that his work was primarily custom made. Thank you Mr. Liu!

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Chinese Coral Enamel Kingfisher Set

2008-02-28T07:19:00.001-05:00

Eye candy... that's what I call this set ... the brilliant blue of kingfisher feathers is a perfect contrast for the tube of coral seed beads... a medium salmon red.

I had a dear friend of mine, a professional bead artist, examine this necklace to explain how is was constructed. He says the coral was needle woven with a tubular 'peyote' stitch (also know as a gourd stitch). This stitch was named 'peyote' in the U.S. in the late 19th century because it was often used by Native Americans ...research shows this stitch was also used in Africa and Guatemala... so while none of the resources that I checked mentioned China ... it is pretty obvious from this piece that it was used there... if anyone knows what it is named in China, I would love to hear from you.

Ornaments like these one were worn by women in the Mandarin Court and were symbols of wealth and status. Costly materials ... the coral imported from Italy, the rare feathers... the intensive labor, all combine to make this fragile beauty as rare and desirable as it was 150 years ago.

[adapted with screw back findings c.1920]

Eiberhard comments in the Dictionary of Chinese Symbols, 1986: "Chinese are people of the eye." This set is a wonderful example.

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