May the Year of the Dragon bring you health and prosperity!

We spend a lot of time admiring the elaborate carving achieved by the early 18th and 19th century Chinese artisans trained from childhood to carve gemstones.

So, this bracelet was a surprise when we found it… just three huge pieces of tourmaline in a simple silver setting that reminds me of the work of the native North American Navaho silver work.

Every collector searches for some of the rare pieces that have seen in auction catalogs or reference books… pieces they would love to own… I have been searching for this 19th century white jade bangle for 6 or 7 years … and finally found it.

[ click on images to enlarge .... photos by: RP (Bob) Birt ]

In the digital age, anyone can go online on multiple web sites and find thousands of new jade bangles for sale at low prices. But the new bangles are all made recently with diamond bits and dremals or dental drills. This bangle was hand carved in the early 19th century using the classical ‘treadle’ techniques.

The antique bangle excites my imagination… the story of a culture dedicated to the pursuit of beauty.

Visit PrivateCollection’s PictureBook to see additional photos… many in larger formats.

Most of us… myself included, are used to thinking of  "Chinese Export Silver" as the pieces that were sold to Western markets in Europe and North America in the 18th and 19th century.

[ click on images to enlarge .... photos by: RP (Bob) Birt ]

But this pair of heavy (200 g.) high grade silver bracelets tells another story…the figures on the bracelets are unlike anything we see on pieces made for the Western markets.

China trade routes throughout Asia and these figures remind me of images I have seen in Thailand (formally known as Siam) art.

Marked Made in China, these bracelets are a reminder that the Chinese silversmith traded throughout the world.

BTW… you can see that Bob is finally back, which means that we will be posting more often and announcing a new ‘Sales Gallery’ very soon.  I am excited!

Visit PrivateCollection’s PictureBook to see additional photos… many in larger formats.

“The Emperor’s Beads” … these are the only beads that have ever made me cry … I bought them online four  years ago… and when I opened the package I found out that Customs had opened the box – unwrapped the beads and had broken 21 beads… I was so upset that I put the box in the back of the closet and didn’t look at them until a few months ago.

[ click on images to enlarge .... photos by: RP (Bob) Birt ]

“Yellow was the color associated with the Emperor ”… Chinese Art, Welch.

I am thinking about ways to restring the remaining beads. They are rare porcelain and hollow and yellow – you can see from the fragments how thin the porcelain is… hence the term "eggshell".

These are the most amazing beads that I have ever owned …

The Chinese love of the jade stone has a long and well known history… but the story of these carved lapis beads is not as well known.

[ click on images to enlarge .... photos by: RP (Bob) Birt ]

During the Qing Dynasty only members of the Imperial family were entitled to use pearls, coral and lapis. The coral came from Italy and the lapis came from Afghanistan, which made them both very rare in China.

The carving of these 38 lapis beads is typical of 18th century treadle work and has the Shou carving on two sides of each bead… so they were carved after they arrived in China and must have been used in a court necklace for a member of the Imperial family.

We understand how the lapis and coral traveled to China because the trade routes are well documented …but how the Imperial beads traveled to the US is still a mystery.

And of course …after I found these beads I had to buy the lapis earrings so that the beads wouldn’t feel lonely!

As part of this series on beads, I want to spend some time talking about quality… what makes one bead more valuable than another … here is an example using the Jade stone…

[ click on images to enlarge .... photos by: RP (Bob) Birt ]

“The Chinese have venerated and worn jade for over 5,000 years” … The History of Beads, Dubin.

Here are two jade necklaces but totally different in style… the Barrel beads are carved with the Shou on 2 sides and a dragon on the other two sides …the round beads are carved with Shou on 4 sides.

First look at the color of the beads … the round beads are all perfectly matched in color … the barrel beads are not – there are some variations in color.

Next the round jade beads are translucent – you can see through them – a translucent jade stone is more rare = more valuable.

Third: the quality of the carving – when you compare the barrel beads and the round beads you will see that the round beads are carved with more precision – classical style.

Both of the necklaces are jade, both are valuable… but the classical, translucent jade will always be more valuable.

I would like to thank the Northumberland News for the nice article they did on the upcoming Artisan Tour ….

Amethyst is one of the most popular varieties of the quartz family… there are many ancient legends about these lovely stones.

[ click on images to enlarge .... photos by: RP (Bob) Birt ]

“Formerly it was believed that amethyst protected drinkers from becoming drunk…worn as an amulet, amethyst was used as a charm against poisons" …Precious and Semiprecious Stones, Bauer and Bouska.

But purple has always been one of my favorite colors and you can imagine how exited I was to find a string of 108 amethyst beads carved with the Shou symbol.

The carving again suggests that these are probably 18th century Mandarin Court beads …