Thursday, May 7, 2009

Learn about PATINA




Patina is a film on the surface of bronze or similar metals (produced by oxidation over a long period); a sheen on wooden furniture produced by age, wear, and polishing; or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure. On metal, patina is a coating of various chemical compounds such as oxides or carbonates formed on the surface during exposure to the elements (weathering). Patina also refers to accumulated changes in surface texture and colour that result from normal use of an object such as a coin or a piece of furniture over time. Patina is like a growing algae. It will continues to grow as long as the metal of bronze and even cupernickel is expose to air and damp enviornment. Therefore, it is important not to place or keep your coins and antique to such areas.
I do have some modern coins exposed to such enviornment and begin to grow Patina. I have some Shekels left in my pocket when I visited the deadsea and I didn't took out to washed these coins.......today, these nickel coins has some patina coating.



Patinas are restricted to exposed surfaces and are fragile (that is, they can flake off). One reason bronze is so highly valued in statuary is that its patina protects or passivates it against further corrosion. This natural patina is solid and seldom shows a tendency to flake. Brass is also resistant to corrosion, but it is, in the long run, not as attractive since local pitting shows against the shiny background.

The photo I download from a web site that sell Knife coins........This color of Patina from the external appearance , I can tell off-hand that the Patina is a Fake patina.....therefore , the coin is fake as well. The fake patina doesn't match as what I described above on the characteristic of Patina.
You can do a simple test for yourself by scratching the surface of the coin.
Besides that, the imitation of the Inscription also poorly etching.
The word "patina" is pronounced PAT'n-uh (although puh-TEE-nuh has come into common use in the U.S.), and comes from the Latin for "shallow dish". Figuratively, patina can refer to any fading, darkening or other signs of age, which are felt to be natural and/or unavoidable.
The chemical process by which a patina forms is called patination, and a work of art coated by a patina is said to be patinated.
The green patina that forms naturally on copper and bronze is known as verdigris and consists of copper carbonate.
One example of a patina is a green surface texture created by slow chemical alteration of copper, producing a basic carbonate. It can form on pure copper objects as well as alloys which contain copper, such as bronze or brass.
Another type of Patina is called " Applied Patina"
Artists and metalworkers often deliberately add patinas as a part of the original design and decoration of art and furniture, or to simulate antiquity in newly-made objects.
A wide range of chemicals, both household and commercial, can give a variety of patinas. They are often used by artists as surface embellishments either for color, texture, or both. Patination composition varies with the reacted elements and these will determine the color of the patina. For copper alloys, such as bronze, exposure to chlorides leads to green, while sulfur compounds (such as "
liver of sulfur") tend to brown. The basic pallet for patinas on copper alloys includes chemicals like ammonium sulfide(blue-black), liver of sulfur(brow-black), cupric nitrat (blue-green) and ferric nitrate(yellow-brown). For artworks, patination is often deliberately accelerated by applying chemicals with heat. Colors range from matte sandstone yellow to deep blues, greens, whites, reds and various blacks. Some patina colors are achieved by the mixing of colors from the reaction with the metal surface with pigments added to the chemicals. Sometimes the surface is enhanced by waxing, oiling, or other types of lacquers or clear-coats.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Duck Incense Burner - Han Dynasty

This is a rare DUCK INCENSE BURNER from the Han Dynasty.
Made from pure Bronze.
The design is very unique and rare.
Many duchess and princess in those days of Han Royal families lived a very high class living. Most of their personal room was lighted up with incense burner to keep the room with nice aroma scent smell.


Here is a close up on the duck body. The body is actually the cover-lid. To open up the lid to put incense before you close the lid back.

Noted : Some small pacthes of "Patina" coated on the lid and some on the duck's neck.

This is a opening of the lid and the opening of the duck body.






Top view of the duck body.





Closer view of the duck head.












Closer view of the duck body. It has a design of a fish pattern. The fish pattern is a Han Dynasty design.







The front body of the duck is a design of a big tortise. And the body of the tortise is another pattern of " Thunder-Nodes pattern" which symbolize royal & power.


Remark: As I said, base on the bronze aging....The actual molding may be made from Song Dynasty.(A.D. 960-1279) Although it may not be the original from Han Dynasty. But still it was old enough to be consider Antique. As a matter of fact, The Song Dynasty period has great improvement of the making of replica antiques of the Shang & Zhou & Han with a better molding technology making than the earlier dynasties.
I doesn't mind buying this piece because I appreciates its design and uniqueness. That is why this piece was one of my long term display on my antique Cabinet.
Note: If you have big piece collection, it is recommended to buy an Antique cabinet made from Special Rosewood ( HuaLingMu) material imported from China. This special antique wood protects your antiques from damages by expose to air and temperature changes. But the Antique Cabinet is quite expensive. It is tailored made and takes about 3 to 4 months to delivered.






Some of my 8 Rare Museum pieces collection

There are at least few thousands of Ancient bronzes artifacts range from Hsia; Shang;Zhou;Qin;Han periods which was on display at China Museums.........I try to collect some of those items on musuem displayed.
Not all can be available because of its high price to buy them.
Also certian items are not easy to buy out of China. I am now going to show you more details from some of those I have collected which can also be found on display at some museum.

Some of these are my 25 years span of bronze antique collection.
It is not easy to purchased these...............Too expensive........



This is a set of Bronze Chimes bell......I have the 13 pieces a set chimes.
From the Spring Autum period.
I will take a closer shots of these chimes and it is ready....I will put up on my blog. Look out for this beautiful set.


This is another DOU food container used during the late Shang period. The bottom of it is for heating up the foods.
After I take some photo snaps....then I will put up on my blog. Look out for this title.


This is another beatiful Bronze handle with White Jade Sabre. This is not a coin. But a real Sabre. From the Late Shang Dynasty.

This is a very rare cute fish design Wine/Water vessel from the late Shang period. Not yet taken any photos....When it is ready. I will put up on my blog. Look out for it.




This is another very rare and cute Buffalo water/Wine vessel during the late Shang to early Zhour dynasty.
Very very heavy piece.........Very very rare too.




This is a rare water/wine Jue Wine vesselwith beast mask cover lid.
From the late Shang dynasty. Still not taken any photo yet....Once it is ready I will put up on my blog....Look out for it.




This is the smallest food container. Pretty heavy. From the late Shang period. Still not taken any photos. Once it is ready, I will put up on my blog.








This is the square DING. Instead of three legged. It has four legs. From the Zhou dynasty. Still not taken any photo yet. When it is ready, I will put up on my blog. Look out for it.







Rare Chinese Frog Teapot

This 2 piece set is a very rare Chinese Frog Teapot with limited edition by famous teapot master designer. Limted to 250pcs. The teapot mold master has broke away this frog mold to prevent replica.
This is the main body of the teapot without the teapot-mouth.

It is design for easy cleansing the tea-leaves after consumption.

The material is made of Green Clay.

The design of the main body is a shape of a Chinese fruit called " Gourd".

This is the top and surface view of the Frog Teapot Cover-lid.



The top of the frog is the Chinese Lotus leaf which also act as a handle to lift up the cover lid.







This is the cover-lid of the Frog Teapot.



The Chinese tea flow out through these holes then to the mouth of the frog!

Email me or give leave your contact on comment if you are interested.




Rare Limited Edition Nine Gold Fishes Chinese Tea-Pot

This is a Chinese Nine Goldfishes Teapot.
It is a rare limited edition collectible teapot. It has a design of goldfish with some small goldfishes.
There are nine fishes sybmolize goodluck in Chinese custom.
It is made of light grey clay material.

This is the teapot cover lid. When you over turn the lid, there is another three goldfishes.

The rear body of the teapot has another 3 goldfishes in a printed-seal design.










This is the inside of the Gold fish teapot. Inside there is one goldfish.

Email me or leave your contact on comment if you are interested.

Rare Limited Edition Chinese Tea JUE Tea-Pot


Take a double click on the photo if you wish to see the nano-inscription.

The tea-pot is a modern design tea-pot made by well known tea-pot master. It is a limited edition of 500pcs.

Take a closer look at this state of art nano-technology inscription.
The inscription wrote all the 36 art of strategies ( Sun-Zi-Bin-Fa)
Double click the photo to see closer.







Here is the side view of the Jue-Tea-Pot. The handle of the tea-pot was design of the ancient chinese dragon. And if you look to the center of the tea-pot there is a small plaque.







The plaque is an inscription of a very micro-nano-technology inscription. It is so tiny that you need to use a 10X magnifying glass to read the inscription.

This is the front view of the Jue-Tea-Pot. The main body of the tea-pot has a design of the phoenix birds which form the face mask of the beast ( Tao-Tie).




This is the Top View of the Modern Jue-Tea Pot design. The opening mouth of the tea-pot was a design of a beast mask( Tao-Tie ).

Email me or leave your contact on comment if you are interested.



Food Cotainer " DOU" during Spring Autumn Period

This is a print from the Shanghai Museum Book. At Item #0676 you will be able to see the same item that I have on display at the museum.
This is a rare piece from Spring & Autumn period ( 770-476 B.C.) I suppose there are only two or three sets unearthed.
It was unearthed in 1966 in Henan. Today this piece is on displayed at Henan Museum.


This is the insde view of the food container " DOU".
Location of Origin: Henan


Here is the top view of the full container set. The main body of the food container also has the same 4 rings to support the holding of the container when lifted it up.



The bottom of the container was actually also able to do a heating up of foods.
There was also additional lid to allow you to open the lid-cover. It also reduce the heat when opening the lid.

Here is a full side view on this food container called " DOU". It has a thre legged stand. Most wine & foods containers were design with three legged. Because it is has a firm stand. As a matter of fact, even till today most Oriental RICE COOKER are still designed with three legged stand.




Take a closer look on the cover-lid. Basically the cover-lid is supported by 4 rings to enable to cover-lid to be open when it the Food-container still hot.




If you take a closer look, you can see hair-lines cracked. This was due to the location in which this container was unearthed probably wet and damp for long centuries. Fortunately this container bronze material was pretty tough and thickness on the container wall is able to withstand such a bad environment.





















This pattern is a design from the Spring Autumn Period. The pattern has a interlocking like a snake-path.


Email me or leave your contact on comment if you are interested.