Archives for posts with tag: toy
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Silver Kettle

11/05/2012 //
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DIA20xH40mm, Thailand

This miniature silver kettle was selected by Furze for the Something Old Something New exhibition and is available at both Mountain Folkcraft and Soil.

Since we have the kettle on, I will share with you a Thai Iced Tea (Cha Yen) recipe.

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 Tbs Thai tea powder
  • 4 Tbs sugar
  • 3 Tbs sweet condense milk
  • 2 cups water
  • milk
  • ice cubes
  1. Bring the water to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the Thai tea powder
  2. Stir and let it brew for 5 – 10 mins
  3. Pour the tea over a fine sieve or a cheeze cloth to get rid of the tea leaves
  4. Add in the sugar and the condense milk, stir well and let it cool down
  5. When it has cool down to room temp, fill a glass with ice and pour in the tea
  6. Add in a dash of milk and enjoy!
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Categories metal, Mountain Folkcraft X Soil, toy

God of Longevity – Clay Toy

06/14/2012 //
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L160xW50xH160mm, China

This clay toy is of the god of  longevity who began his legend as Canopus, the brightest star  in the southern constellation of Carina and Argo Navis.  In the Qin dynasty, temples were erected for the worship of  the Canopus star, it is believed that when the star shines brightly the world would be peaceful and vice versa.  Canopus is also known as the “elderly star”, apart from peace, it also upheld the ethic of the respect for the elders.  In the East Han dynasty, the ceremony for Canopus worship consist of a stately banquet that included all the over 70, nobleman and commoners.

Besides the astronomy aspect, the god of longevity also has a human figure, Peng Zu.  Legend has it that Peng Zu has mastered the art of longevity and lived to an age of  767 years old!

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Categories clay, figurine, toy

Horsy Toy

05/24/2012 //
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W60xL160xH100mm, China

Every child seem to have a horsy toy at some stage, whether they are big or small, rocking  or ride able.  This is the Chinese version made with clay and like most of the clay toy it is also a whistle making a horse like sound.  I like this particularly over the other clay toys as it looks half sleepy and totally silly.

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Categories clay, figurine, toy

Clay Peacock

05/09/2012 //
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W40xL80xH80mm, China

This little clay peacock toy has come to join in the birdy collection.

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Categories clay, figurine, toy

Pottery Birdy

05/04/2012 //
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W40xD60xH60mm, China

How can we have a bird feeder without a bird?  This is a pottery bird whistle toy with a beautiful green glaze.

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Categories figurine, pottery, toy

Matchmaker Nodder

04/30/2012 //
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W120xD100xH200mm, China

In the old days when free love was forbidden in China, all marriage proposals has to go through a matchmaker.  Even when the couples are already in love with each other, one would still have to go through a matchmaker in order to make the marriage a proper one.  The job of the matchmaker seems to be only opened to woman, apart from the proposing, they are also responsible for presenting the information of both families.  In order to make the deal, the positive points are often emphasised and the weakness carefully put.  Acting as the communicator for both families, she is also the   co-ordinator, MC, organiser for the wedding.

The head of the figurine nods and the body wobbles resembling the matchmaker lady saying all the goodness about the marriage.  The fan, of course, is the essential tool for the matchmaker, making sure everyone would stay cool during the big day.

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Categories figurine, paper, toy

Lord Rabbit

04/08/2012 //
1

W100xD50xH130mm, China

This is no Easter bunny but the famous Lord Rabbit.  It is a toy for the Mid Autumn (full moon) festival in the Beijing area.  The Lord Rabbit figurine first appeared in the late Ming dynasty, it was mainly used for worshipping by the younger generations.  It is believed that Chang E, the moon goddess, has a pet rabbit who is whiter than white jade as he was named as the Jade Rabbit.  The Jade Rabbit was specialised in preparing the medicine (you might have seen images of him stirring the medicinal pot on the moon).  Jade Rabbit worshipping has then been taken into moon worship and since rabbit has been kept as a household pet, out of respect for the Jade Rabbit god he was worshipped as the Lord Rabbit.  By Qing dynasty Lord Rabbit has turned into a toy for the Mid Autumn festival.  The folk story goes; once Beijing was infected by plague, almost all the household got sick, the moon goddess was sadden by the news and sent the Jade Rabbit to help cure the capital.  At each household he healed he would turned down any gifts but instead borrow a new set of clothing.  With the new clothing he would assume a different image for the next household, sometimes a female, sometimes a general etc.  He would also take on different animals for transportation; a deer, a tiger, a horse etc., hence there are many different versions of his figurines.

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Categories clay, figurine, toy

Clay Lions

03/30/2012 //
0

W80xD60xH130mm, China

This is a toy from the famous Nie estate village, it is believed in the Ming dynasty a man named Nie arrived from He Bei on the run from a business failure.  On his desperation he arrived with his wife to a village in Shan Dong, even exhausted and penniless his mind was still reminiscent on the days of high life.  He grabbed a handful of clay and formed it in a clay tin, he then filled it with a bit fireworks and left the top open with a small hole.  Upon ignition, there comes an amazing fireworks display, it instantly became a hit and he name it Guo Zi Hua (fireworks in a pot).  It soon turned into a speciality of the village, the clay figure became more decorative and take on figurines of humans and different animals, so after the display of the fireworks, one get to keep a clay toy as well.  As time goes by the fireworks were taken out and the focus started on the clay figurine toy itself.

This is a pair of clay lions which about from being a toy also can function as bookends.

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Categories clay, figurine, stationary, toy

Bamboo Dragonfly

03/20/2012 //
0

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

Stone Carving

03/06/2012 //
0

W30xL60xH80mm, China

This stone carving has puzzle me for a while; what creature can it be?

It has:
no horns,
a short neck,
long legs,
hoofs,
short tails

Baby goat?
let me know if you have a better guess.

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Categories figurine, stone, toy
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