Tuesday, April 28, 2009

A MUST BOOKS for Researcher & Collector


This book is highly recommended for researcher and collector who are seriously interested to take up studies on the pattern and design of Ancient China Bronzes vessel and ornaments.
It is really hard to find such books. It gives detail and explanation as which patterns and designs belong to which dynasty. And how these patterns changes from one era to another era.





















This is another large book with thick pages dictionary on China Bone Oracles ( Bon Inscription ). This dictionary is highly recommended for those researchers and collectors interested in taking up China Ancient Language and tracing back its original Chinese writings to the present days writing.
But readers need to understand Chinese Language.
This is a page that you can see its writing and indepth explanation.







This is a pictorial Ancient China Bronze Age Vessel & Ornament which is published by Shanghai Museum.
Inside this book it cover all those bronzes you can find them on displayed at the museum. This is also a large book.
Among all nation wide Chinese Musuem in China, Shanghai Musuem has got the most collection of Bronzes. If you happen to be in Shanghai China. Take a trip down to visit the museum. Don't missed the chance to see these bronzes for yourselves. You will love these bronzes at first sight. This was what happened when I first visited. Thereafter, I have great interest in collecting China Bronzes.










Fake and Genuine Can you spot the different?

Can you spot the differences?
Which is fake?
Which is Genuine?
Upper or Lower is genuine?

Step 1: Take a look at the material appearance. Though the fake material used the same bronze material but the fake material doesn't have the aging of the bronze appearance at all. "Patina" coating is the best proof to tell its aging. "Patina" coating effect doesn't come over night. It takes decades like the thickness of the tree bark skin.
Step 2: Take a look at the inscription writing. The fake writing is too visible and sharp to see.
Step 3: The fit in size of the overall doen't fit into the original imprinted photo. The fake size is smaller.











Monday, April 27, 2009

Western Zhou WINE VESSEL in Pheonix bird design

This is a very rare piece of the Western Zhou Wine Vessel. ( 1027- 771 BC )

What is a wine vessel?
The wine vessel is used to put wine and serve as a decorartion wine vessel during the feast host by the prince/duke. This piece is a dukess piece which was casted specially for the wife of the duke.

In the case of the wine vessel for the duke...It is very much masculaine rathern than feminine.

Masculine design come with the Tao-Tie" beast face mask. In the case of fememine, the design come with the Pheonix bird. To be able to own a wine vessel are only for the rich lords/dukes. Commoners are unable to own these vessels.
The larger the size of the bronze Vessels or cups or cooking utensils it show to the guests that the host are rich and powerful with authority.
Only these rich and powerful dukes/princes are affordable to get casters to mold and cast them according to their design and shapes.
Bronzes vessels was also a form of money........just like people who own gold ornaments .....today is also a form of money.

Not forgetting that Shang & Zhou periods were under the ancient Bronze Ages of China. Large quantity of these bronzes products were casted specially for these rich and powerful dukes and princes. And when they died......they buried along these vessels with them...thinking that it will bring along with them to the next neither world.








This is one of my latest collection piece. There are some Inscription found around the neck close to the handle.
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Western Zhou Long Neck GU Wine cup

This long Neck Wine Cup called " GU"is one of a dsiplay item #0542 label by Shanghai Museum Book.
It was first unearthed in 1976.
Location: Xiang-Xi. Today this GU cup is put on display at Xiang-Xi Museum.

This is a full length size of the Long neck wine cup. The name of this cup is called " GU" from Western Zhou period( 1,027~771BC ).
This Gu cup is also a rare limited from worldwide museum. I think there are about less than 5 Gu-cups in the market world-wide.




Honestly speaking who knows when there are new ecavation works done in China during the new contruction at sites......New artifacts may be found. It is actually a very common sight in China. But the question now is : On whose lands and who own it? For us as collector or sellers : As long as they are sellers....there will be buyers.....It is a open market as long as it is not stolen goods under the ownership of the State-Museum piece. Even the Chinese authority has to bid and auction it to get back their stolen artifacts.

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On the left side is the Base of the wine cup. The base is hallow inside through the center portion. The purpose of this hallow was design to allow the wine cup use for heating of the wine. The ancient Shang and Zhou people drank wine hot. As a matter of fact, many chinese even today still drink hot chinese wine just like the days of the old. Except the chinese today don't drink from such long neck wine cup. The base of the cup also has a design of the " Tao-Tie" on both sides.



The right side is the middle part of the neck. It has a design of "Tao-Tie" beast face mask. Towards the left is a small cross hole on two sides. The holes actually allow the smoke to escape when the wine globet cup put under a small fire beneath the base.( On the left side )




On the right side is the Top : Mouth piece. The diameter is pretty wide!













Full length size of the Long Neck Globet Wine Cup used by Duke/Prince. The left side is the base. The right side is the top.

Late Shang Globet Wine Cup


This is a small size Globet wine cup which is about the same size as the modern glass wine cup size. It was casted during the late Shang period.( 1,700~1,027 BC ) The cup design and condition still pretty in mint condition. The design on surface is very clear and sharp. Hardly covered by Greenish "Patina".

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Early Western Zhou Globet Wine Cup

This globet wine cup " Jue" is from late Shang to early Western Zhou period. ( 1,700~771BC )


If you take another closer look of the "Tao-Tie" design you will also be able to find the design of ancient birds.


And the handle of the globet cup is the design of the ancient chinese dragon of the Shang and Zhou period. The dragon design is different from the dragon we see in modern China today.


Here is a closer look on these beautiful design. Can you see the " Tao-Tie"? which is the design of a face mask of a beast-like-look. You may refer to my January 2009 teaching about " Tao-Tie" if you don't know how it loo like. It is a very rare and unique design found only the late Shang and early western through Eastern Zhou periods.


This Duke's Globet Wine cup also has thre legged. It also has two pillars which represented heaven.






Do you know the purpose of these two pillars?






The purpose of this two pillars was a very good invention from the ancient Chinese Shang and Zhou inventor who created this wonder cup. The two pillar was use a self guided indicator to the duke/prince who drank to check whether he still can see the two pillars or seeing double vision? If he is seeing double vision of these pillars it prove that he is getting drunk and must stop drinking. Today, you will never find such wine cup with such pillars as a checker whether you are getting drunk or not. Isn't this a marvelous design?
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Top View of the Duke's Globet cup. This cup was casted during the late Shang / Early Zhou period. Material: Bronze.

Gold Inlaid Duke Globet Wine Cup from Western Zhou


This is a Jue-Wine globet cup from Western Zhou period. (1,027~771BC )
Right side view of the globet wine cup supported by the three legged. It is pretty heavy. I didn't get the machine to weight it.
This is certainly one of the most rare piece that we may hardly see it from the museum. Newly unearthed in 2007 by the local Chinese.
The left side view of the globet wine cup. I have not decided to sell it off yet as I still enjoyed viewing it. Perhaps, until when I decided to let go, I will sell it to the rightful new owner.

Duke's Name inscribed on the cup handle.






Top View of the Globet cup. The purpose of the two pillars is a symbol of heaven.
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Monday, April 20, 2009

Authority Seal Money from JIN STATES







This coin is a rare piece. It is listed as a Priceless piece collection in the Chinese museum.

The design of this money come in a form authority's seal. It has a face value of 1,000$ at that time.



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Jin States was one of the most powerful states in the Spring and Autumn Period .between 722 BC and 481 BC, multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia..... Jin was founded by Tang Shuyu
Tang ShuyuTang Shuyu founded the state of Tang, the predecessor to Jin , a state in ancient China founded during the Western Zhou and extending into the Spring and Autumn Period...., a descendant of the
Zhou Dynasty. The Zhou Dynasty was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The Zhou dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in China history?though the actual political and military control of China by the dynasty only lasted during the Western Zhou.... royal family. At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, Jin was split into three states:
Han (state)Han was a monarchy during the Warring States Period in China. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same name.Its territory directly blocked the passage of the state of Qin into the North China Plain, thus becoming a frequent target of Qin's military operations....,
Zhao (state)Zhao was a China state during the Warring States Period. Zhao was a significant state in the period, along with six others. At the beginning of the Warring States Period, the state of Zhao was one of the weakest states but gained strength during the reign of King Wuling of Zhao.... and Wei.
Wei (state)The Wei was a state during the Warring States Period in China. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included modern areas in Henan, Hebei and Shanxi and Shandong..... The split of Jin is sometimes referred to as the beginning of the subsequent Warring States Period
Warring States PeriodThe Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, covers the period from 476 BCE to the unification of China by the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE....; all three new states later became prominent states in the new period.Probably the most famous of all the Jin kings was Duke Wen of Jin
Duke Wen of JinDuke Wen of Jin led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His name was Ji Chong'er and he was the son of Duke Xian of Jin ...., the second of the Five Hegemons
Five HegemonsDuring the Spring and Autumn Period there were several states which rose to hegemony over other states; the term Five Hegemons refers to any of several lists of these hegemons.... in the Spring and Autumn Period. Originally named Chong'er, he was second in line, and no-one expected him to become Duke. Fearing assassination, he fled the country during his father Duke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of JinDuke Xian of Jin was known as cold-blooded king in that period. When he first came to the power, he used some suggestions from his officials and removed his political enemies and killed many people....'s reign to the Qin
QinQin can refer to:..., only returning when Duke Huai, who was a nephew of Duke Wen, was killed.As Duke he led the Jin to glory - he fought many wars with his greatest rival, the Chu
ChuChu or CHU may refer to:Surname:* Chu , a common Chinese surname* Spanish writing Chu is the surname ? from Guangzhou, Guangdong .Places:... (the most famous battle was the Battle of Chengpu
Battle of ChengpuThe Battle of Chengpu was a conflict between the states of Jin against Chu and its allies in China in 632 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period.... in 632 BC), and advocated the strategy coined by the first Great Leader of the Warring States, Duke Huan of Qi - "Uphold the King, repel the barbarians", with the king being the Zhou court in Luoyang
LuoyangLuoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast..... The Duke was also famous for his chivalry - after a massive war with his erstwhile ally and friend, the King of Qin, he ordered relations between the two kingdoms to return to normal, and constructed monuments honouring both the sacrifice of the Jin and Qin troops. The Chinese proverb "The Friendship of Qin and Jin", meaning an unbreakable bond, originates from this period.Jin, however suffered from multiple succession struggles. Jin founded a new city north of the capital at Quwo in 746 BC. In 679 BC, the Quwo lineage usurped the rulership of Jin. Duke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of JinDuke Xian of Jin was known as cold-blooded king in that period. When he first came to the power, he used some suggestions from his officials and removed his political enemies and killed many people....'s rule was notorious for the bloody purging of family members.Jin had multiple capitals. The initial capital of Jin was Tang; the remains of Tang are at modern Qucun. The capital was later moved to E, then Jiang, then Xintian. The remains of Xintian are at modern Houma
HoumaHouma can refer to:*Houma, Louisiana, city in the United States*Houma, Shanxi, city in China*Houma Tribe, a Native American group*Houma, meaning cape, the name of some capes in Tonga and villages near them such as:....In 403 BC, the Wei, Zhao and Han lords all went to the Zhou king in Luoyang and were made dukes in their own right, separated from Jin. However most historians, when referring to those 3 states as a whole, call them the "3 of Jin". The state of Jin still continued to survive, albeit with minimal hold of power.The Jin was officially abolished when the last duke of Jin, Duke Jing, left his position and had his territories annexed by the Three Jins in 349 BC.

Sabre Money 2 - Western Han Dynasty ( 206~24 AD )

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

SABRE MONEY 1 from Western Han Dynasty 206 BC to 24 AD,


This first picture : This Sabre Money has a inscription of a face value of : 500 $ duirng the Western Han dynasty.( 206~24 AD )
It is consider a limited edition.



This 2nd picture: This Sabre Money has a inscription written with a face value of : 5,000$ during the Western Han period. ( 206~23 AD )
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Rare Southern Song Dynasty Limited Editon BAR Money for sales


These are priceless as listed in the Ancient Chinese Money Collection.
It was minted by Emperor Gong Tsung in AD 1275 In the year of his reign - Te Yu.
These Bronze Bar money was only used among Government Official during the Sounthern Song dynasty.
Eventually, these Bronze Bar Money was replaced by Bamboo and cutted into a size like the Bar Money.
Denomination of value at that time:
Range from $100 to $500 during the era of Sountern Song Dynasty.
Today the market value for each of these Bar Money are consider priceless because of its limited edition issued at that period in which there was a shortage of raw bronze material for general circulation. Hence, only rich merchants and government officials could afford to obtained it from the government monetary department.
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These Bar Money are very fine print-inscription as well as it is heavy in weight and larger in size than the rounded coins.