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Goat Letter Opener

03/23/2012 //
1

L150mm, Indonesia

This is a wooden letter opener with a goat figurine as a handle.

I would like to share with you a lamb satay recipe.

SATE KAMBING (make 15 skewer)

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g spring lamb (cut into W25xT20mm slices)
  • satay sticks
  • diced cucumber
  • peanut sauce
MARINADE
  • 6 shallots (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 2 lime leaves (chopped)
  • 100ml soya sauce
  • 1tsp chili powder
  • 1.5tsp ground coriander
  • 1.5tsp ground cumin
  • 1.5tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1tbs brown sugar
  • 2tbs peanut oil
  • salt
METHOD
  1. marinate the lamb slices in the fridge for 10-12 hours
  2. grill the shewered meat, ideally over charcoal, until cooked
  3. dipped in peanut sauce and enjoy with the cumcumber

 

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Categories figurine, stationary, tools, wood

Coconut Teapot

03/19/2012 //
0

DIA130xH130mm, China

Since the Tang dynasty , eating utensils have been made from the shell of the coconut.  In the Sung dynasty, they even favored by the intellectuals of the time, the carving became refined and decorative so refined that by the Ming and Qing dynasty, coconut carvings have made it as a imperial offering to the Emperor!  There are broadly 2 types of coconut teapots; the first has a inner layer made of metal (pewter, silver, bronze etc) and small pieces of coconut shell set over, the second (like this one) is made from a whole coconut shell.

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Categories container, wood

Mala

03/18/2012 //
0

CIR900mm, China

This is the standard 108 beads buddhist rosary, the rosary can be of different numbers of beads 21, 42, 14, 27, 54 with 1080 being the longest. The 108 beads is aimed to defeat the 108 earthly desires;

aggression
ambition
anger
arrogance
blasphemy
calculation
callousness
capriciousness
censoriousness
cruelty
cursing
deceit
derision
discord
egoism
envy
excessiveness
furtiveness
garrulousness
grudgingness
hard-heartedness
haughtiness
high-handedness
ignorance
imposture
impudence
inattentiveness
indifference
insatiability
intolerance
intransigence
lack of comprehension
manipulation
mercilessness
obsession
obstinacy
prejudice
quarrelsomeness
rage
ridicule
sarcasm
stinginess
stubbornness
unkindness
unruliness
unyielding
vanity
violent temper
wrath

(also see entry for buddhist rosary, buddhist prayer beads)

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Categories tools, wood

Mongolian Knife

03/16/2012 //
0

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

Junk Boat God, god?

03/09/2012 //
2

H170xW50xD70mm, Macau

I have been pondering about this figurine for a long time.  It is a Tanka god which would have been worshiped on the junk boat, keeping them safe on their fishing voyage.  But what kind of god would it be to be on a bicycle?!!  All my research led to dead ends.

A couple of days ago, I was in Tai O, an old fishing village in the remote part of Hong Kong.  I was attracted by the artworks surrounded a small convenience store, to my surprise they were created by the 84 years old owner, Mr. Lu, who was borned in Tai O of the Tanka clan.  He is like a walking history book and I took the opportunity to find out from him the nature of this figurine.  The figurine was indeed for worshiping, however it is not a proper god as such but someone in general who might harm you (giving you trouble, tummy ach, etc.)  So these people are made into figurines and offerings are made to them as if they are some kind of gods.  From the costume of the figurine, he is likely to be an official similar to today’s policeman.

Decoration outside Tokyo Store, Tai O.
They were created each year for the Chinese New Year with the corresponding animals from the zodiac signs, this was for the year of the rabbit.
If you are visiting Hong Kong, Tai O is a great place to go if the city and the malls becomes too overwhelming.

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Categories figurine, tribal, wood

Wooden Box

03/07/2012 //
0

DIA300xH140mm, China

This wooden box is made out of  single piece of wood, with the void area taken out using a lathe.  The wood would be fixed and mounted, with the spindle (a spinning mechanism powered by foot paddle in the old days), it is spinned around on axial.  The wood is then hollowed out with a tool held against the spinning piece of wood.

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Categories container, wood

Buddha’s Finger

03/01/2012 //
0

L350xW200xH200mm, China

This is a wood carving of a plant known as the Buddha’s hand fruit (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis).  It is a citrus fruit that is segmented into finger like section, the section resembles the fingers of the Buddha is tradition Chinese painting, hence the name.  In China the fruit is mainly used for perfuming the room and as an object for appreciation, it is also used in herbal remedy.  Because of the beautiful form of the fruit, it has become an subject for craving (wood, root, stone, jade, etc).

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Categories wood

Lattice

02/27/2012 //
0

Come and see our collection of Chinese lattice!
please see the entry Lattice

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Categories furniture / architecture, Uncategorized, wood

Chinese Mask

02/22/2012 //
0

H220xW140mm, China

This is a mask for the Chen He theatre of the Hu Nan district.  In the Ming dynasty, immigrants from Jiang Xi settled in the then barren land along the river of Chen He.  Mixing in the local dialect, the ground theatre and other religious element CHen He theatre was born, because of its history, there are a lot of different branches in the Chen He theatre.  This is a mask for the character Luo Han (Arhat), a Buddhist pupil who has a very high stage of attainment.

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Categories mask, wood

Lacquer Box

02/17/2012 //
0

W100xL230xH100mm, China

A lacquer box with painted dragon and phoenix which comes with 2 levels and 3 circular compartments. This is probably a box for storing small incense but our customers found it to be a good idea to use it for storing stationary.

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Categories container, lacquer, wood
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