DIA100xH110mm, China
This old incense burner has a very contemporary design, even the exterior has a glossy finished to it. It would have been used at home for the worship of gods or the ancestors. The interior of the burner would be filled with ashes of the rice bran, these would be used to secure the incense stick. As times goes by the container will be naturally filled with the ashes of the incense.
W40xD25xH70mm, China
The blue rabbit on the transparent glass gives this bottle a dream like quality, it reminds me of legendary jade rabbit on the moon.
For the rabbits, this is perhaps their dream place to be, Okunshima, the rabbit paradise where rabbits runs free with no predators. However, back in 1925 this island was a hell hole for the rabbits, they were used to test the poisonous gas that was produced on the island by the Japanese Imperial army. The poisonous gas is now commissioned and a museum has been set up to alter the people of the effect of poisonous gas and war.
See click here to see our other snuff bottles.
DIA320xH120mm, China
A moving film about the master bamboo artistan, Hiroshima Kazuo, about being an artisan, about crafts.
DIA90xH20mm, China
The circular crane is a traditional Chinese pattern which symbolizes longevity and satisfactions; it was originally used as the emblem on military flags in the Warring State period but by the Ming dynasty as Taoism becomes prominent their chosen saint carrier – the crane starts appearing on pottery and garments.
DIA40xH25mm, China
The use of mother of pearl in lacquerware has been dated since the Zhou dynasty 1000 B.C. and matured in the Sung dynasty. The pearl inlay into the black lacquer box creates a dream like magical colour, perhaps some the magic comes from the pain sticking workmanship that goes behind its creation.
DIA70xH130mm, Japan
For the Asian Folkcraft Event, we have from Soil a Sake hyotan container with its own cup! A more poetic version of the whisky flask.
Hyotan (Gourd) is a symbol of good luck. This Japanese hyotan gourd is used as handy sake vessel, and complete with a stopper and a ceramic sake cup. The cup is delicately made, and has a hand painted and gilded decoration depicting a village scene, with a traditional Japanese architecture and pine trees in the background.
Watch this video and find out how gourd could become so useful for wilderness survival.
Here are other gourd items in the shop;
Large Gourd, Small Gourd, Gourd Cricket Cage, Gourd Basket.
DIA130xH90mm, 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
DIA130xH50mm, Hong Kong
White slip-glaze wash finish on black clay from Shigaraki Japan.
Inner side is glazed with a special crackle glaze named 浮花.
COBOxSOILxMOUNTAIN FOLKCRAFT
Come to see the items before the event ends at the end of March!
DIA90xH170mm, Hong Kong
For the Something Old Something New joint event, a bottle with lid in real gold and blue barium glaze finish (not food safe). Wheel thrown in one piece, lid is then cut from the body. Gold is applied after the stoneware firing, refire to a lower temperature of 750 C.
This dream like bottle made me think of Calvino’s Invisible City.
Mountain Folkcraft 