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Horsehair Bowl designed by Veronica Gritsenko – Black Elephant Studio

04/16/2013 //
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horse hair bowlDIA130xH90mm, Myanmar

Veronica Gritsenko is a British-Ukrainian artist and scholar. In 2000 she set up the Black Elephant studio in Bagan, Burma and eventually developed her own unique technique and designs based on ancient methods and materials.  Black Elephant Lacquer is collected by private connoisseurs and was acquired by the British Museum and The Royal Botanic Gardens Museum.

These bowls are made with horsehair woven in between very thin bamboo splints, with further application of lacquer mixed with rice husk ashes.  Burma is famous for a special type of incised lacquerware called “yun” – It’s engraved with a sharp iron stylus and the incisions are filled with colouring matter to create a design.

Item from SOIL for the ASIAN FOLKCRAFT COLLECTION

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Categories bamboo, container, lacquer, leather / feather, Mountain Folkcraft X Soil

Bamboo Basket

09/18/2012 //
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W250xD250xH400mm, China

This is a double deck bamboo basket for food storage.  It is for carrying food stuff goodies as a gift for relative and friends, a kind of xmas hamper.  Upon receiving the gift a red packet thank you note would be sent back to the sender.

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Categories bamboo, container

Fan

09/07/2012 //
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W410xL230, China

Here is a folding fan with the fan leave decorated with a poem and painting by my father.  The poem from the poet Bai Ju Yi, “The Jackdaw’s Nightly Cry”,

“慈乌夜啼”

慈乌失其母，哑哑吐哀音。
昼夜不飞去，经年守故林。
夜夜夜半啼，闻者为沾襟。
声中如告诉，未尽反哺心。
百鸟岂无母，尔独哀怨深。
应是母慈重，使尔悲不任。
昔有吴起者，母殁丧不临。
嗟哉斯徒辈，其心不如禽。
慈乌复慈乌，鸟中之曾参。

The Jackdaw cries for the lost of its mother.
That year it stayed at their forest home; by day and by night.
Every midnight it cried, tears would run down those who heard.
As if it was saying it has not taken care of its mother.
Hundred of birds are without mother but only you are grieving so.
Your mother’s kindness deepens your sorrow.
There was general Wu Qi too busy chasing fortune to attend his mother’s funeral.
These kind of humans are worse than birds.
The Jackdaw is the dutiful son of birds.

Here is a clip of a jackdaw to make up for my bad translation of poem.

 

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Categories bamboo, painting / prints, paper, tools

Script Stand

08/06/2012 //
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L310xW180 (when folded)

W400xH250, China

This is a holder for Buddhism script that is made of bamboo, it can be folded for easy transportation.  Since its invention over 1000 year ago, it has also been adopted to be used as a book stand.  The angle of the tilt for the book can be adjusted to suit the position of the reader.  It was one of the stationary items for the wealthy scholars which is now all to be replaced by the mighty ipad.

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Categories bamboo, stationary

Lacquer Gift Box

06/15/2012 //
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DIA350xH200mm, China

Before the invention of the disposable paper gift boxes and wraps, there were these lacquer boxes for transporting and presenting gifts.  This particular one is for cakes and confectionery gift.  After the gift is received, the boxes will be returned to the sender.  A red packet will be placed inside the boxes as a thank you gesture to the giver, they should never be returned empty.  For bigger celebrations like wedding, the bride’s family will send out boxes of the bridal cake for friends and family as an announcement of the wedding.  The boxes will be rented out from the cake shop, though the wealthy family would have custom made the lacquer boxes for these occasion.  Nowadays the custom is replaced by a cake gift voucher … I must say I would be much happier to receive the gift from a beautiful box like one then a paper voucher, I think it will make the cake taste better and share more of the joy of the happy couple.

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Categories bamboo, container, lacquer, wood

Thai Rice Box

06/12/2012 //
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L150xW70xH70mm, Thailand

This bamboo weaved box is a rice serving basket for Thai sticky rice.  So finely made, it is perhaps too precious to be used for a daily task.  Here is the recipe for Thai sticky rice for 2 persons.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 cup glutenous rice (sweet rice)
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • water
  1. wash the rice thoroughly
  2. soak the sweet rice in water with the salt  for 1-2 hours (this will shorten the cooking time)
  3. pour the sweet rice through a sieve
  4. put the sieve with a lid over a saucepan and steam 
  5. after 10 mins, flip the rice over and steam for another 5 mins
  6. put into contain and serve
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Categories bamboo, container

Bird Feeding Cage

05/07/2012 //
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W40xD20xH50mm, China

This is another type of bird feeder, a slight cruel one.  A live cricket or insect treat is put inside the cage which is then attached to the side of the bamboo bird cage, the gate is opened from the outside and here comes “dinner”!  The detail by the gate is for the attachment of the bamboo bar of the bird cage.

Click here for a more traditional bird feeder.

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Categories bamboo, container, tools, wood

Wok Brush

04/09/2012 //
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DIA40xH200mm, China

Ever wonder how to clean the cast iron wok?  Here is a Chiu Shu, Chiu anything related to cooking while Shu is the plant sorghum.  The hair of the brush is indeed made with the tip of the sorghum stalk.  In China the gain of the  plant is most famously use to made into a strong wine.

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Categories bamboo, tools

Bamboo Dragonfly

03/20/2012 //
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W120xH120mm, China

How to Play: Put the palms together with the vertical stick in between, rub quickly the hands in opposite direction and release, the toy will fly up the sky like a helicopter!  This toy has been documented in Baopuzi around 400AC, if one can travel in time, it would be amazing to have this toy inventor sitting in a helicopter!

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Categories bamboo, toy

Mongolian Knife

03/16/2012 //
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L330xH20mm, Mongolia

In Mongolia Shamanism the Blue Mighty Eternal Heaven (Mongke Tengri) is worshipped, in its legend 6 treasures was given by the Blue Sky to the Mongolian, 3 big treasures and 3 small ones.  The 3 big treasures are, yurts, grassland, cattle and sheep, the 3 small treasures are, Mongolian knife, matouqin and dairy products.  Hence, the Mongolian knife is treated also as a sign of blessing on top of it function.  In the nomadic days, a mongolian man who wear it by the waist together with the snuff bottle and the Mongolian flink.  The sheath has 2 holes for keeping a pair of chopsticks, isnt this the perfect eating kit for nomadic life.

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Categories bamboo, metal, tools, tribal, wood
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