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9 Immortals Necklace

05/24/2013 //
0

8 immortalsDIA165mm, China

The figurines on this necklace used to be the ornaments of a child’s hat.  A special hat would be made for the child’s birth, 100 days celebration and the first birthday.  The hat is seen as a blessing for the child, depending on the gender, family social status, the design of the hat varies.

The gold plated enamel ornaments would have belongs to a hat of a wealth family.  The 9 figurines are the 8 Immortals (one either side) + the god of Longevity (in the middle).  The 8 Immortals are; Iron-Crutch Tie Guai Li, Philosopher Han Xiang Zi, Elder Zhang Guo Lao, Lan Cai He, Immortal Woman He Zian Gu, Leader Lu Dong Bin, Han Zhong Li and Royal Uncle Cao Guo Jiu, they are Taoist saints who are not very powerful and have a few human frailties.  One of the many stories of the 8 Immortals is about their birthday wishes for the Queen Mother of the West and thus the appearance is associated with birthdays and blessings.

Here is a clip from the Xiang opera “8 Immortals birthday wishes for the Queen Mother of the West”

 Collectible Jewellery
Something Old Something New

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Categories event, figurine, jewellery, metal

Jade Head Piece Necklace

05/23/2013 //
0

jade hair piece

DIA165mm, China

 The pendent for this necklace is a jade head piece.

The idea of a head gear com developed very early in China; the word “beauty” 美 came from a goat 羊 hat over a dancing man 大 (a man 人 with his hands extended).  The concept of head gear developed into a social etiquette,  a complete system was formed for ranking of officials, classes and for different occasions.  When a young noble male reaches the age of 20,  there will be a crowning ceremony, signifying the change from a boy to a man.

Some head pieces are secured on the hair bundle rather than as worn as a hat and this pendant is one of them.

COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY
SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW

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Categories event, jewellery, stone

Silver Brooch

05/22/2013 //
3

silver brooch

W90xH70mm, Hong Kong

This smart silver brooch is made from an original kirin boy pendant, a blessing pendant for the child.  Legend had it that the kirin delivered the baby Confucius to  his parents; by putting on the figurine of the kirin boy, the parents hope that their child will also turn out to be as bright as the scholar Confucius.

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW
COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY COLLECTION

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Categories figurine, jewellery, metal

Chilli Necklace

05/21/2013 //
0

Chilli

DIA165mm, China

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW
COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY COLLECTION

This is a coral necklace, but dont they just look like red hot chilli?

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Categories event, jewellery, stone

Millefiori Bead

05/20/2013 //
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Millefiori

DIA165mm, Hong Kong

A simple necklace with a handmade millefiori bead.  The making of a millefiori bead is though not as simple …


COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY
SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW

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Categories glass, jewellery, leather / feather, metal

Beijing Enamel Locket Necklace

05/10/2013 //
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locket necklace

DIA165mm, China

We have previous talked about the long life lockets as a blessing for the young, more detail can be found in the posts;
Silver Necklace, Kirin Boy Necklace, Happy Encounter Necklace, 13 Tai Bo Locket, Original Long Life Locket and others items such as Du Dou Embroidery, Clay Doll – A Fu.

This particular locket has been glazed with Beijing enamel, shao lan, a vitreous enamel process used typically for silver jewellery.  The powder enamel was melted at 600c to set on the silverware, cooled and reeapplied for 4-5 times.  Because of the low temperature firing, the different ingredient, the Beijing enamel is more transparent than the popular Cloisonne.

The technique was introduced from Europe in the late 17th century and like all novelty only restricted for court production.  By late Qing dynasty silver items of Beijing Enamel can be found in silversmiths.

This necklace has a hand woven string, with the silver locket anchored with a jade carving tube dyed traditional technique.  On the locket, there are two kirins on either side with the word of blessing – Fortune and Career

Locketlocket

Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery

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Categories event, jewellery, metal, stone

Fish Necklace

05/09/2013 //
0

fish necklaceDIA165mm, China

Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery Collection

Fish jade pendants have been popular since the Neolithic period, Zhou, Sung, Ming, Qing dynasty and it continue till today.  Fish was the probably the first stable food source before the invention of primitive farming and was chosen as an early subject matter.  As linguist developed, it also attended as a symbol of  ”surplus“.  In the Tang dynasty, it had even been prescribed to Concubine Yung Gui Fei for cooling the dry summer heat – by sucking on one jade fish a day.

The fish on this necklace are attached to the beautifully pleated collar.

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Categories event, figurine, jewellery, stone

Partridge Necklace

05/08/2013 //
0

bird necklacebird

bird

DIA200mm, China

The pendant of this necklace is the partridge, “Chun”, the Chinese believes that this special bird comes from the same family as the Phoenix.  Looking at the video … its probably a very very distant cousin …

The “Chun” first made its name in the Warring State period as a gourmet dish, by the Tang dyansty it is used in bird fighting.  It made its name by the Sung dynasty as a popular subject for painting.  One might wonder with its physique managed a place  in the subject of the art world.  It has to do with the word “Chun” sounds like “An” which means peace, ease and together with the other elements in the painting symbolizes longevity, settle, etc.  The subject matter extended from Sung dyansty all the way to the Qing dynasty.

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Categories event, jewellery, stone

Reindeer Necklace

05/07/2013 //
0

ReindeerDIA165mm, China

Nothing to do with reindeer at all, this piece of coral necklace just reminds me Christmas.  This minimal design has been put together by hand with a hand woven string using the traditional art of Chinese knotting.

Collectable Jewellery
Something Old Something New

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Categories event, ivory / horn, jewellery

Pony Necklace

05/06/2013 //
0

pony

DIA165mm, China

This neckware is made up of two ponys old silver pendants.  These pendants have little bells attached attached at the bottom, similar to the previous Bell Necklace these were used as a child monitor.  The colourful band of the necklace has been put together by hand.

Something Old Something New
Collectable Jewellery

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Categories event, jewellery, metal
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