Shadow Puppet

01/06/2014 //
0

Shadow PuppetW200xH600mm, Indonesia

This shadow puppet came from a set we acquire from Indonesia,  curiously the contained Indonesian characters as well as Chinese ones.  Like this particular puppet, the head gear, the costume, the bounded feet, the facial features all points to a Chinese diva.  I wonder if the set of shadow puppets were commissioned by a Chinese immigrant in Indonesia who is a bit home sick for Chinese shadow puppet.  It became a fusion of the two, just as today’s wayang kilt some of which has departed from the traditional story of the Ramayana to include everyday events such as karaoke.

Tags , , , , ,
Categories figurine, leather / feather, puppet

Tea Bowls

01/03/2014 //
0

tea bowlDIA90xH70mm, Japan

Handmade pottery tea bowls from Shigaraki, the texture on the exterior is rather rock like.  One almost feel as if one is holding a piece of very fine stone.  The inside of the bowls are glazed to prevent the tea from staining the bowl.

tea bowl

Tags , , ,
Categories container, pottery

Hand Woven Fabric

01/02/2014 //
0

Textile Width 380mm, China

Hand weaving used to be a traditional household craft for the minority tribes in China, the females would spend their passtime weaving fabric for the use of the family.  During these times, not only would the mother would be passing the technique to her girls, it is also a social gathering for the family.

However, with the industrial development of China, it is much easier to buy ready made clothes instead of starting from making a piece of yarn.  For the younger generation, the prospect is also brighter to work in a factory in a city than farming in the village.  Time has changed, social gathering happens in front of the telly or with the mobile.

This hand woven fabric from our collection is sadly becoming past of history.

Tags , , , ,
Categories fabric

Happy New Year!

01/01/2014 //
2

new yearW130xH100mm, China

Wishing you a happy 2014!

Tags , , , , ,
Categories painting / prints, paper

Happy Birthday Spikey

12/30/2013 //
0

spike treat trayW100xD100xH70mm, Hong Kong (NOT FOR SALE)

For Spikey‘s birthday, a treat tray for my father for dishing out munchies.
He really does behave like this with his food…

photo_2
photo_4
photo_5photo_6photophoto_3

Can’t believe that you are already 6  years old.
Happy Birthday Spikey!

photo_1
You can follow Spike’s own on www.spiketang.wordpress.com

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories container, figurine, JT pottery, pottery

Chinese Hamper

12/27/2013 //
0

basket basketDIA300xH450mm, China

 A traditional Chinese hamper for delivering delicious goodies.  Unlike the gift hamper that one receive nowadays, the hamper is not a part of the gift and would need to be return to the owner.  Not only is it return but it is also expected to contain a red packet, a return gift in monetary form, “砸籃” (weighting the basket).  In the traditional Cantonese gift etiquette, when receiving a food item as a gift, one would give a red packet to the giver, this is known as “砸” (za), the term that originate from the gift basket.

Tags , , , , , , , , ,
Categories bamboo, container, wood

Jingle Bells

12/25/2013 //
0

A Beijing Opera’s adaptation to the Christmas song – Jingle Bells
its SO “something old something new” that I would like to share with you on X’mas day.

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun
it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

金溝杯、
金溝杯，
金溝歐了魏，
歐華芳，
一次鑾，
引了萬壑收奔雷

The Chinese lyric has nothing with the musical instrument  jingle bell and an open sleigh, but a war in the period of  Bai Chao  (400AD).  At the place of Jin Gou,  after a few drinks, the leader of Jin Gou attacked Wei and Ou.  He then went to Wei’s Jin Luan Dian palace.  This led Wei’s commander Wan He to counter attack like then thunder to claim back the lost land.

Tags , , , , ,
Categories Uncategorized

Merry Xmas!

12/24/2013 //
0

clay toyL190xW70xH120mm, China

 May we wish you a joyful X’mas!

Click here to see our other toys.

Tags , , , ,
Categories clay, toy

Wine Jar

12/23/2013 //
1

 

wine jar

DIA300xH330mm, China

Stock up enough alcohol for the holiday ahead?
This traditional Chinese wine jar would probably be large enough to last till 2014!

Instead of using a large cork, the jar would have been sealed with a strong paper which is secured by a string.  Clay would be applied over the paper making it air tight.  This is where the saying of breaking off the clay seal for describing the act of drinking comes from.

Please don’t drink and drive.

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories container, pottery

Blue Frog Snuff Bottle

12/20/2013 //
0

snuff bottleW45xL70xH25mm, China

A snuff bottle in the form of a sleepy blue frog.

Now a song for the festive season.

Tags , , , ,
Categories container, figurine, glass
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »