Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Dayak Carved Hornbill Earrings

The hornbill is among the most sacred birds to many of the peoples of Sarawak and Kalimantan. The Orang Ulu used to carve hornbill ivory for personal adornment as earrings, worn by men. Hornbill ivory is a delicate material and only a few people are able to carve the fine designs.

Hornbill "ivory" comes from the casque or epithema of the helmeted or "great helmeted" hornbill. Traditionally, this material is designated hornbill ivory with no quotation marks enclosing the word ivory. This is misleading because hornbill "ivory" is keratin whereas ivory that from elephant tusks is chiefly apatite.

The casque is chiefly yellowish white to golden or light brownish yellow, with its top and sides relatively thinly coated by diverse hues of red, which have been described as carmine red, Chinese red, scarlet, orange red or brownish red. The light-colored portion typically has a "blotchy" appearance.

Calao, another name given to hornbills, is used as a modifier for the "ivory" in some literature.

Relatively old carvings, many of which are exquisite, were made for use near the source areas and in China. Belt buckles, bracelets, brooches, combs, ear ornaments, incense burners, pendants, plume holders for hats, rings (especially archers' thumb rings), spoons, snuff bottles, temple vases, and even whole casques were included. In addition, the Japanese carved netsuke from the casques and used thin slivers of the red sheaths for inlay, usually along with other materials such as mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell and some metal. After the middle of the 19th century, hornbill "ivory" was incorporated into such "modern jewelry" as brooches, cuff links, earrings and studs, much of which was fashioned in Canton, chiefly for sale in the Western world.

Helmeted hornbills are native to the rain forest jungles of Southeastern Asia such as Southern Myanmar (formerly Burma), Southern Thailand (formerly Siam) and other parts of the Malay Peninsula, and of Borneo and Sumatra of the East Indies. Casques of the male are used to fashion the pieces treated herein.

The word casque means head-piece or helmet. Birds of the family Bucerotidae, formerly called horned crow or horned pie, were given the name hornbill because they have a horn-like excrescence on their upper mandible that resembles certain helmets. In Malaya, this hornbill is often called the 'Kill your mother-in-law bird" (tebang mertua). This name arose because of its strange call, consisting of a loud toks repeated increasingly faster and ending in wild laughter, which gave rise to an old legend. They say that the helmeted hornbill was once a Malayan who cordially disliked his mother-in-law and finally chopped down the stilts that supported her hut when she was inside it, in order to get rid of her. As punishment for this misdeed, the Gods then changed him into this bird, and condemned him forever to re-live his crime by making the sound of the axe striking the foundation posts, followed by his outburst of unholy glee when the house came crashing down.

The helmeted hornbill is the only hornbill with a solid casque. The casques of other hornbills have spongy interiors. The casque of the adult male helmeted hornbill typically makes up more than 10 per cent of the bird's total weight and is about 10cm high and 5cm wide, a volume large enough for fashioning three snuff bottles. It is dense and takes a fine, lustrous polish. The red hues of the casque comprise only a relatively thin coating on the tops and sides of the upper mandible. They are apparently caused by the birds' rubbing their upper mandibles on their preen glands where the red hues represent natural dyeing by oily secretions from the birds' preen glands. The transition between the reddish zones to the natural yellowish main part of the casque is gradual.

The best hornbill "ivory" is from young mature males. It has to be cleaned and cured adequately as soon as possible after the death of the bird in order to preserve the desired colors and other features. If untreated, the red layer often tends to split away from the rest of the casque and especially under conditions of excessive dryness, it gradually loses colour. However, these changes can be avoided or at least minimised by special treatment, as many of the Chinese carvings demonstrate. Most carving involves the same general procedures as those used for true ivory and vegetable ivory. However, an apparently unique and especially interesting type of carving used by the Chinese for some articles like belt buckles is noteworthy. It involved cutting away of parts of the red layer so the underlying yellow layer exhibited the desired design along with undercutting of the red layer except for a few "connecting posts" so the remaining layers would not separate one from the other. As a result, the red layer was given an attractive translucence. In addition, treatments that appear to reflect utilization of the thermoplastic property of this material have been utilized by some craftsmen.

Historically, carvings from hornbill casques have been found in a Neolithic tomb in Borneo. Early trade with China especially during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and first mentioned recorded in 1371 was based on the fact that many Southeastern Asians wanted something made of this material because they considered it to be an aphrodisiac and a detector of poisons. The increase of virility aspect seems likely to relate to the fact that, like the male narwhal's tusk, the male hornbill's casque appears to be a male characteristic with no function other than to exhibit its male sexuality; the poison detection held that anything made from it would undergo a color change whenever it was in the proximity of poisonous materials, especially anything its owner might ingest. It was only more recently, when Chinese traders discovered some of the fine carvings made from these casques, that hornbill "ivory" gained its rightful place among the highly esteemed materials used for fashioning valuable decorative pieces.

The helmeted hornbill is an endangered species. West Kalimantan (sometimes referred to as Kalbar), which is an Indonesian province of the southwestern part of the island of Borneo, has the helmeted hornbill as its official emblem.


The helmeted hornbill.



A Dayak warrior wearing the carved hornbill earring.



A Dayak warrior wearing the carved hornbill earring.



A Dayak warrior wearing the carved hornbill earrings.



Pictures below showing the Dayak carved hornbill earrings from my collection. The top part of the hornbill beaks has been carved with an anthropomorphic figure, while the inner (or the back) part of the beaks has been incised with stylized "aso" or dog motifs. The red sides of the beaks use similar "aso" motifs with openwork designs.


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Dayak Carved Hornbill Earrings



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Dayak Carved Hornbill Earrings



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Dayak Carved Hornbill Earrings



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The inner or the back part of the earrings carved with "aso" or dog motifs.



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The top part of the hornbill beaks carved with anthropomorphic figure.



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The red sides of the beaks with openwork "aso" designs.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Chinese Bronze Mirrors

Bronze mirrors were produced in China from neolithic times until the Qing Dynasty, when western glass mirrors were brought to China. Bronze mirrors were usually circular, with one side polished bright, to give a reflection, and the reverse side with designs. They often had a knob in the center so that they could be attached to clothing. Some of the earliest examples of Chinese bronze mirrors belonged to the Neolithic Qijia culture from around 2000 BCE. However, until Warring States times, bronze mirrors were not common with approximately only twenty having been discovered. During the Warring States period, mirrors became particularly popular. It was during the Han Dynasty, and the introduction of the TLV mirror, that mirrors started to be mass-produced.

Both Han and Tang mirrors are considered to be the most technically advanced. Bronze mirrors continued to remain popular up through the Song Dynasty, but then gradually lost their popularity and ceased to be produced after the arrival of Western mirrors during the Ming and Qing dynasties.


Tang Dynasty Bronze Mirror (618-907AD)
Diameter : 12.5cm



Tang Dynasty Bronze Mirror



Tang Dynasty Bronze Mirror



Han Dynasty Bronze Mirror (200BC)
Diameter : 8.5cm



Han Dynasty Bronze Mirror



Han Dynasty Bronze Mirror

Monday, November 16, 2015

Pair Of Silver Pendant Earrings From Southern China

This fine pair of pendant earrings is with phoenix motifs and a multitude of silver chime-like tassels are suspended from each of the lower panels.

Such earrings were popular among merchant classes in southern China during the later Qing Dynasty, in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

During the Communist era, such jewellery appears to have been collected by the authorities and held centrally, and then in the 1970s, the Beijing government eager to earn foreign exchange decided to sell off its holdings of such jewellery to Western dealers, often by the kilogram. The jewellery poured out of China, mostly to the United States. Such jewellery has now become much more scarce.

The earrings are in a fine, stable and wearable condition.


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Thursday, November 5, 2015

How To Tell Quality Antique Or Vintage Jewellery From Junk

Choosing antique or vintage jewellery does not have to be a hit or miss purchase. There are several simple things to remember when you are shopping for a quality piece of antique or vintage frippery or finery.

In this guide, I'm going to share what I have learned about shopping for pieces that will fit, suit you, be a beautiful start or addition to your collection and last you for many years.

RULE # 1 Just because a piece of jewellery is older, or used, does not make it vintage. Remember that nothing produced or crafted after 1989 is vintage jewelry. Its just used. There are many classifications for the age of jewellery, under the category of vintage. You have newer vintage (retro vintage) and older vintage (art deco, art nouveau, modernist) and everything in between. Please remember that if it contains new design, such as electroplating, to ask your seller for an approximate age if it is not already provided. Make sure you are getting a 1989 or earlier item.

RULE # 2 Just because it looks really really old, does not make it worth a lot of money. You want to look for several things when you are choosing a piece, before you spend a large amount on it. Look for these attributes, and you will get a very nice item.
*FUNCTIONALITY: Do all the clasps work? Are they firm and do they hold well? Are there bends and kinks in the chain that might break?
*WEIGHT: Is the piece a solid weight for its size (large light pieces are not as valuable as smaller heavy pieces) and material.
*CRAFTING: Is your plastic item seamless? (seamless plastic = better quality) Are the rhinestones in the item prong set or glued? (prong set is nicer, lasts longer, holds through chemical cleaning while glue may not)
*PLATING: Is the gold or silver plating intact or is there a lot of wear? Can you see the bare metal under the plating? Is it silver or gold plated, or silver or gold toned? (silver plating is more durable than silver toned)
*STONE CLARITY: are the stones grey or yellow when they are supposed to be white or clear? (that is a sign that the stones have lost their luster and have therefore lost some value. Not all, but some) Are the stones smooth and shiny, or scratched and dull? Are they the original stones, or have they been replaced with stones that almost match?

Rule #3 Most vintage jewelry is not marked with a size. If the size is not noted, make sure to ask, and do not settle for S, M, L, XL if it can be measured in inches. For bangles and cuffs and rings, ask for either a general fit or a circumference, if the seller does not have a sizer. For a link bracelet, necklace, or chain bracelet with clasp, ask for the length of the bracelet with the clasp closed.

Rule #4 Do not assume that all marked, hallmarked and signed jewelry is equal. Know your crafters and designers. Research their work and craftsmanship and value if you really want to find true treasures. Also remember that some unsigned pieces are treasures that the maker did not take proper credit for. An unsigned, crafted quality material brooch may be worth much more than a simple run of the mill mass produced marked brooch.

If you are looking for a quality, valuable piece of vintage jewellery, keep these things in mind. They will help guide you in choosing a good piece.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Antique Japanese Coral Brooch

Coral is one of several so-called “organic gemstones”, the other main ones being pearls and amber. Made out of calcium carbonate (as are pearls) that’s secreted by organisms known as polyps, coral is mostly found in tropical oceans, where colonies of polyps are jammed together to create reefs.

The coral of most interest to jewelers is called precious or noble coral, Corallium rubrum, which ranges in color from dark red to pale rose and “grows” in branched deposits. Precious coral is harvested almost exclusively in the Mediterranean off the coasts of Italy, France, Spain, Algeria and Tunisia. Other types or coral are pulled from the waters off Malaysia and Japan, Australia and Africa, and numerous Pacific isles.

Thought by the Romans to protect children, today many people are wondering if coral itself needs to be protected. Coral reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems on the planet, dying off at an alarming rate. Pollution along the coast caused by run-off into the world’s oceans is the biggest killer of coral, followed by damage caused by the fisherman.

Still, the perception that the jewelry industry may also be contributing to the problem makes coral an unpopular material for many people. Indeed, Hawaiian black coral, which is not made of calcium carbonate, is already protected, and movements are afoot to ban the harvesting of red and pink varieties, the ones most common to fine jewelry.

What’s made coral attractive to jewelers for so many centuries has been its seemingly inexhaustible supply; its relative softness, which lends itself to elaborate carvings such as intricate cameos; and the way it can be polished to a glossy, lustrous finish. Coral is often fashioned into round, barrel-shaped, or oblong beads, as well as show-stopping cabochons in necklaces and rings. Sometimes coral is left in its natural state, as when tiny branches are strung together to form a bracelet or pair of earrings.

Like turquoise, much of the coral on the market today is artificial. To spot the real thing, look for white flecks and patches on and inside the gem’s surface. If a blood-red piece of coral has no such irregularities and its price seems too good to be true, then it’s probably synthetic.

Pictures below show a beautiful coral brooch carved representing fruits (pomegranates) and foliage, with a silver brooch fitting which I bought in one of Tokyo's flea markets.

Size : 2.5cm x 5cm


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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Round Lidded Song Dynasty Cover Box

Pictures below show the round lidded Song Dynasty cover box which I purchased in Sabah years back.It is believed to be found in Kudat Song shipwreck, the wreck was said to be discovered by fisherman on 15th April 2003.

The large number of Fujian ceramics found in the Kudat wreck is testament of the importance of Quanzhou as the main port where goods were assembled and exported through the maritime trade route. Quanzhou replaced Guangzhou as the most important port during the Southern Song period. It maintained its prominent role during the Yuan period. Fujian coastal region just like Guangdong during the Tang or Northern Song period, capitalised on its strategic location and built kilns to produce ceramics which copied the famous kiln such as celadon from Longquan, Qingbai from Jingdezhen and Temmoku bowls from Jian kiln. Such products targeted mainly the consumers from Southeast Asia region. However, some quantity also made their way along the maritime trade route to places as far as India, middle East and East Africa.

Height : 6.5cm, Diameter : 11.5cm.


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Thursday, October 1, 2015

A Pair Of Wedding Bed Hangings Set With Beads

This pair of hanging ornaments was made to adorn the bridal chamber and most particularly the bridal bed. Such sets were made in and around Palembang in South Sumatra.

Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia. It was the old capital of Srivijaya, a powerful Malay kingdom, which influenced much of Southeast Asia. It has long had contact with China. The first record of its existence was that of a Chinese monk Yijing, who described his visit there in the seventh century. It developed into a cosmopolitan port city and so the local culture evolved as a syncretic blend of Malay, Arab, Minangkabau, Bugis, Javanese and Chinese influences. The local Chinese became particularly integrated and localised. Conversely, the local Malays acquired many Chinese influences.

The hangings here amply demonstrate that with the Chinese forms and themes. Indeed, they might have been used either by the indigenous people or the localised (Peranakan) Chinese.

Length : 86cm.


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Monday, September 14, 2015

Plain White Cotton Undershirt For Baju Panjang

Pictures below show the plain white cotton undershirt worn under the baju panjang. It is with high collar which can be secured with removable studs and long sleeves.


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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Antique Chinese Children's Hats

The origin purposes of the lovingly created hats for the children are the same, to provide protection from evil spirits, demons and ghosts, but also to imbue the child with important qualities such as wealth, health, courage, academic success, happiness, long life, grace and beauty. All of the hats are full of symbolism.


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Hat 2

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Hat 3

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Saturday, August 15, 2015

Chinese Lock Pendants / Charms

The Chinese used silver in their charms more than gold. One of the more interesting forms of Chinese charms is the lock. This type of charm is based on the traditional Chinese device used to safeguard possessions and property. The shape is similar to the Chinese character 'ao' (凹) which means "concave" and it is always decorated with Chinese characters and symbols.

The purpose of the lock charm is similar to that of the other charm types, which is meant to protect a person from evil and to bring good luck, fortune, official rank and long life.

These padlocks could be bought at silversmith shops and varied in size and shape. Sometimes, Buddhist or Taoist priests tied them with their own hands around the necks of children as a blessing to the children.


Chinese Lock Pendant 1

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Chinese Lock Pendant 2

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Chinese Lock Pendant 3

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Chinese Lock Pendant 4

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Chinese Lock Pendant 5

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Chinese Lock Pendant 6

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Chinese Lock Pendant 7

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Chinese Lock Pendant 8

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Chinese Lock Pendant 9


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