PrivateCollection's | PictureBook

07-01-01 Introduction Introduction

Sometimes destiny appears early in life, but that only becomes clear with age and perspective. My mother, the church lady always willing to work on church projects, took me to help setting up the annual rummage sale when I was eight years old...

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07-01-03 Chinese Jewelry Chinese Jewelry Collection

The history of the human race is recorded in its' jewelry...so part of the excitement for me is discovering where an ornament fits in the historic landscape...what it meant to the original owners...

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07-01-05 Jade Necklace Jade Necklace

Three color jade...translucent white and yellow beads set off by three interlocking circlets of celadon hand carved from a single piece of stone...and all smooth as silk with the feel of beads the have been worn and touched for many years...

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07-01-12 Sliver Chinese Bracelets Silver Chinese Bracelets

A pair of bracelets was the traditional betrothal gift for many women in China ...worn one on each wrist... this pair is solid silver, handmade and marked with Chinese ideograms.

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07-01-16 Hand Carved Stone Beads Hand carved Stone Beads

Eight years ago this amazing string of carved stone beads appeared in my life to begin my exploration of the world of Chinese personal ornaments...since I had always loved beads it was surprising to find something I had never seen before...and because the first collection that I ever assembled was cameos, I understood something about carving...but not this kind of workmanship...

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07-01-27 Unusual Gold, Ivory and Jadeite Brooch Unusual Gold, Ivory and Jadeite Brooch

This brooch has been the subject of ongoing debate. It is certainly 19thc...probably between 1860 and 1880....it is a pair of teeth, surrounded by a figure made of at least 20ct gold with Chinese hallmarks and set with a lovely piece of jadeite. In the 19th century gold was not abundant in China and was only used by the wealthiest families. In all of my research I have been unable to find a similar Chinese gold ornament.

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07-03-07 Eight Immortals in Enamel and Silver The Eight Immortals in Enamel and Silver

The eight figures on this bracelet are known in Chinese mythology as the Eight Immortals or Baxian. Popular figures, the Immortals are not gods. They are humans who, after many lifetimes of spiritual practice, meditation and sacrifice transcended to an immortal form. They live on a magical mountain where there it is forever summer and pain does not exist. There the rice bowls are never empty, and magical fruits heal and raise the dead...

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07-03-14 Carved White Jade Silver Set-Immortals Carved White Jade and Silver Set-Immortals

When I look at this set I hear Sam Spade in my head, "this is the stuff that dreams are made of"...who wore this set and for what occasion? I will never know...

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07-03-28 Beads From a Court Necklace Beads From a Court Necklace

Two lapis beads, 25mm each, hand carved and reticulated. Each bead has been pierced at least 40 times and the beads appear to have been hollowed out on the inside. 72 wooden beads, hand carved and reticulated.

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07-04-06 White Jade Bracelet White Jade Bracelet

In 1644 the new Manchu Dynasty brought fashion changes in everything from hairstyles to personal adornment...including jewelry. In 1912, when the dynasty fell out of power, style and priorities changed again. Ornaments associated with court life were often reworked for sale to the west.

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07-04-11 Chinese Carved Jade Pendant 19c Huge Jade Carved Pendant 19thc

This is the work of a master carver, 6mm thick at the outside edges, the stone has been carved with elaborate images on both sides of the stone to a depth of 2mm on each image. When the stone is held to a light sections of the background are translucent.

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07-04-23 Chinese Carved Coral Necklace
Chinese Carved Coral Necklace
This exquisite 19th century salmon coral necklace is composed of 51 hand carved coral Chinese beads. Each bead is 8 mm. The beads are carved on two sides with the long life symbol. Hand knotted on a silk cord, it has a 14KY gold clasp.

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07-06-01 Chinese Wedding Set-Jade and Silver Chinese Wedding Set-Jade and Silver

It seems appropriate to start June with a a set of ornaments associated with weddings... in this case a Buddhist wedding. This set of nephrite jade, silver, and coral earrings and clip are carved with such delicacy, that from a distance they look like lace.

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07-06-09 Chinese Multi-Gemstone Necklace-Export Chinese Multi-Gemstone Necklace-Export

The Jade Wedding set in my previous posting was an example of Chinese ornaments made for the Chinese market; the symbols have little meaning for the Westerner.

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07-08-04 19th Century Chinese Silver Box 19th Century Chinese Silver Box

A work of art you can hold in your hand. Silver, repousse, chased and under carved on each side. The floras at the corners of the top are young prunus blossoms (plum or apricot family) associated with long life.

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07-08-06 Rose Carved Cherry Amber Necklace
Rose Carved Cherry Amber Beads
I still remember the first time I saw one of these beads. Eighteen years ago, a friend (also a fellow bead lover) and I were searching our favorite flea market.

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07-08-15 Chinese full Court Necklace The Mandarin Court Necklace

The Mandarin Court Necklace is the goal of the serious collector. Legend has it that the Court necklace was patterned after a mala (a string of Tibetan prayer beads) that were given to Emperor Shunzhi (1644-1661) as a gift from the Dalai Lama.

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07-09-12 Dragons and Pearl Bracelet Dragons and Pearl Bracelet Dragons and Pearl Bracelet

Sometimes I let myself say WOW...This bracelet is the reason that I collect...to find something that I never knew existed.

If you read the posting about the Wedding bracelets you will recognize the motif...

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07-09-21 Chinese Mutton Fat Jade Necklace Chinese Mutton Fat Jade Necklace

I seem to be on a theme lately of ... "I've Never Seen This Before!"

When I began in the antique business we were liquidating estates�emptying houses from top to bottom�after about ten years, I believed it meant something when I said... �I�ve never seen that before�.

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07-10-01 Chinese Carved Silver Four Ling Bracelet Chinese Carved Silver Four Ling Bracelet

When I look at the bracelet I hear my art history professor in my head... "classic design...balance...great proportions and execution". The size and weight (54 grams) suggest to me that is was made for a man rather than a woman.

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07-10-10 Chinese Chicken Bone Jade Necklace Chinese Chicken Bone Jade Necklace

The Chinese call this 'Chicken-Bone Jade'.

Several sources state that Nephrite Jade which has been through a fire or buried for a long time will develop an unusual surface calcification, losing color and becoming a chalky white...like these beads.

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07-10-19 Chinese Silver Tourmaline Bracelet
Chinese Silver Tourmaline Bracelet
One of the joys of collecting jewelry from the other side of the globe is the difference in style and techniques. The second pleasure for me is coming across stones, not usually seen in our North American pieces.

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07-10-29 Chinese Jade Devils Work Necklace Chinese Jade Devils Work Necklace

This dramatic necklace is an example of the art form of carving and piercing jade that Chinese often refer to as 'the devil's work'.

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07-11-12 Qing Dynasty Silver Jade Lock Qing Dynasty Silver Jade Lock ...Fu Lu Shou
This is a piece of history...elaborate repouss� silver on one side: silver and nephrite jade on the other. Its beauty is compelling even if one is not familiar with the rich symbolism depicted in the figures and symbols on this massive (15.5cm x 14cm) piece.

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07-11-28 Chinese Bone and Coral Set Chinese Bone and Coral Set

This glamorous 4 piece set celebrates one of the Daoist 8 Immortals, He Xiangu, the patron deity of housewives. There are many differing stories of He-Xiangu and how she became an Immortal...

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07-12-16 Chinese Sapphire Seed Pearl Necklace Chinese Sapphire and Seed Pearl Necklace

Do you believe in magic? Is it possible that a gemstone can bring the wearer good fortune? There seem to be a number of opinions...for centuries the Sapphire, in addition to its obvious beauty, has been associated with mystical and healing powers .

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07-12-17 Chinese Silver Turquoise Bracelet Chinese Silver Turquoise Bracelet

The form of this extra wide (4.4cm) Chinese Silver Turquoise Repouss� Bracelet shows the influence of the Western market on the 19th century Chinese silversmith. Large decorated silver bangles became popular in Europe in the mid 19th century.

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08-01-09 Chinese Daoist Wedding Bracelet Chinese Daoist Wedding Bracelet

Colour was the first thing that attracted me to this bracelet... red and green... with vibrant blue highlights.
In China red and green are the colours of life ... associated with summer and spring ... traditional wedding clothing is red...fertility and progeny are associated with the colour green.

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08-01-16 Silver Enamel Coral Dragon Bracelet Chinese Silver Enamel Coral Dragon Bracelet
As a collector, I love to find variations on a theme ,,, the two dragons chasing the pearl is one of the most common images in Chinese ornaments and this is the third dragon and pearl bracelet that I have written about.

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08-01-29 Chinese Silver Enamel Immortals Set Chinese Silver Enamel Immortals Set

When the words 'Chinese' and 'enamel' are combined, many people automatically think of cloisonn�. In Oriental Cloisonn� and Other Enamels, 1975, the Chu's support the theory that cloisonn� was introduced into China from Persia in the 13th and 14th centuries during the Mongol invasions. Cloisonn� enamel frequently appears on Chinese jewelry of the late 19th and early 10th centuries.

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08-02-07 Chinese King Fisher Set Chinese King Fisher Set

My last post was about the beauty of Chinese enamels. For thousands of years Chinese artisans found another way to add colour to their metal ornaments without enameling.

The art; tian-tsui (�dotting with kingfishers�) utilized the iridescent blue feathers of the Kingfisher as an inlay for ornaments ranging from large decorative screens to the small pieces of jewelry featured here.

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08-02-11-1 Centuries of Chinese Silver Part 1 Centuries of Chinese Silver ...Part 1

I was asked to write an article for the Canadian Magazine Jewellery Business. "Centuries of Chinese Silver" appears in their February 2007 edition. The original article is no longer available on line.The following is a version of that article. It was great working with the folks there and I hope you enjoy the article... Susan

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08-02-11-2 Centuries of Chinese Silver Part 2 Centuries of Chinese Silver Part 2 Part 2 of the article Centuries of Chinese Silver, by Susan Dods, the Canadian Magazine Jewellery Business, February, 2007

What is Popular?

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08-02-28 Chinese Coral Enamel KingFisher Set Chinese Coral Enamel Kingfisher Set
Eye candy... that's what I call this set ... the brilliant blue of kingfisher feathers is a perfect contrast for the tube of coral seed beads... a medium salmon red.

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08-03-11 Chinese Vermeil Jade Set by Lui Chinese Silver Jade Set by Liu

In the world of Chinese silver jewelry and ornament, very few individual craftsmen have been identified.

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08-03-19 Chinese White Jade Heavenly Twins Chinese Carved White Jade Heavenly Twins

The figures, bald and smiling are commonly referred to as the Heavenly Twins or Hoho Twins or Hehe-Erxian Twins...they symbolize perfect partnership and express the idea that harmony is more profitable than strife � so for centuries they were offered as wedding gifts in China.

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08-03-31 Chinese Reeled and Plied Silk Thread Chinese Reeled and Plied Silk Thread
The Mystery of the Mandarin Court Bead

People who know me will know that I love a good mystery... from Sherlock Holmes to Miss Marple and Joe Leaphorn... and for many years I have been puzzled by finding fabulous Chinese beads with holes that were so large that no standard thread was large enough to create a knot between the threads.

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08-04-10 Chinese Silver Qilin and Bead Necklace Chinese Silver Qilin and Bead Necklace The Qilin ( pronounced "chee-lin") is a mythological creature ....one of the four mythological creatures that have been part of Chinese culture for many centuries. Sometimes it is referred to as the Chinese Unicorn ...it is always a symbol for good fortune in many forms.

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08-04-22 Chinese Silver Coral Qilin Bracelet Chinese Silver Coral Qilin Bracelet

The silver Qilin pendant in my last post is not the only use of this popular mythological figure in Chinese ornaments... the rank badges of high court officials would be embroidered with the Qilin, it appeared in all ornamental forms from paintings to paper lanterns.

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08-05-08 Chinese Ingenuity in Silver Chinese Ingenuity in Silver

As we looked at the list trying to decide what to write about next...it occurred to me that it made some sense to write about another Qilin to build on the information in the last 2 posts. This 1920's bracelet is not only a great example of how a Qilin is used ornamentally but also the ingenuity found in Chinese silver jewelry.

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08-05-20 Chinese White Jade Beads Chinese White Jade Beads with large Bead...

My photographer had to spend a lot of time with these beads... they have a life and personality that changes with the time of day and light.

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08-05-28 Chinese Qing Dynasty Rank Purse Chinese Qing Dynasty Rank Purse

At first glance this appears to be a lovely elaborately embroidered ladies handbag, silk thread on silk cloth with Peking glass handles. But there is also quite a background behind this elegant purse.

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08-07-29 Chinese White Jade Chrysanthemum Bracelet This is a classic example of an early (100-150 year old) carved stone used as the centerpiece for a 20th century Chinese bracelet� fine wirework silver mesh decorated with openwork cloisonn� enameled bats and longevity symbols�. The type of workmanship that can never be reproduced in today�s world.

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08-08-14 Chinese Enamel Cicada Ring Chinese Enamel Jade Cicada Ring

This early 20th century ring features dark red and blue enamel...bats and Shou symbols with an earlier carved pale celadon jade cicada... which at one time may have been a pendent ...is lovely... and more.

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08-08-26 Chinese Silver Wedding Necklace This early 20th century silver wedding necklace represents a transitional period (c.1900-1930) in Chinese jewelry. This necklace shows a western influence ...multiple linked plaques with a box tongue clasp...a change in style from the silver ornaments of the Qing Dynasty such as the Qilin necklace I wrote about earlier this year.

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08-09-16-1 Chinese Carved Jade Mala Beads Chinese Carved Jade Mala Beads

While beads are often associated with adornment or jewelry, beads have been part of spiritual and religious practice...in all parts of the world...for tens of thousands of years. Prayer beads in Asia are often referred to as a mala ...the beads range from simple materials to elaborately carved rare stones.

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08-09-16-2 Chinese Carved Wood Mala Beads Chinese Carved Wood Mala Beads

Another type of Chinese mala that appears fairly often is this string of 18 heads, carved from peach pits, each with a different facial expression... prized by many jewelry designers... these 19th century carved malas are often cut up and sold by the bead.

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08-09-25 Chinese Rock Crystal Art Deco Beads Chinese Rock Crystal Art Deco Beads

These rock crystal beads are early 20th century. Most of the Chinese beads I have written about were carved in the 18th or 19th century ...those beads are carved, pierced, reticulated and spherical... because the necklaces were created with beads from Mandarin Court strings.

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08-10-07 Chinese Mutton Fat Jade Earrings Chinese Mutton Fat Jade Earrings

More Devil's Work White Jade... Sometimes when I am looking for a piece, I feel like a huntress stalking my prey... looking under every leaf and branch for signs... peering around every tree... catching a glimpse while trying not to get too excited... and then finally.... success!

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08-10-15 Chinese Sycee Silver Braclet Chinese Sycee Silver Braclet

This is the most expressive piece of jewelry in the collection. The stone head with its aged patina... the delicately carved scales of the dragonfish that surround the head ...suggest a story ... a story that goes back to the period of the Second Opium War (1856-1860).

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08-10-28 Chinese Moss on Snow Seed Pearl Pendant Chinese Moss on Snow Seed Pearl Necklace

'Moss on snow' is the popular name for a type of jade with patterns of white and green... and this lovely pendant with a seed pearl necklace is the best example of moss on snow in the collection... and the carving is very special.

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08-11-06 Chinese Small Jade Buttons Chinese Small Jade Buttons

Many people I talk with seem to believe that only wealthy people are able to collect real jade... and that is not true. Most unset jade buttons and flowers just like these appear on today's market at very reasonable prices.

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08-11-28 Chinese Hollow Carved Serpentine Beads Chinese Hollow Carved Serpentine Beads

My readers know that I love a good mystery... so perhaps the title of this post should really be... "The Mystery of the Hollow Carved Beads... Vintage or Antique?"

We found this string of over 100 beads in the U.S. The beads are approximately 22mm ...hollow carved, some pierced 12 times, some 16... we bought them from a gentleman who said they had been sitting in an Oklahoma warehouse for 50 or 60 years.

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08-12-23 Chinese Ethnic Silver Necklaces Chinese Ethnic Silver Necklaces

Many years ago when I first became enchanted with the world of Chinese personal ornaments, I stumbled across an Australian dealer who was selling Chinese ethnic necklaces that I had never seen before...

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09-01-13 Chinese Repousse Bracelet This 19th century bracelet is an interesting example of Chinese repouss� and chasing techniques with great attention to detail and quality of construction.

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09-02-10 Chinese Silver Tutti Frutti Style Bracelet Chinese Silver 'Tutti Frutti' Style Bracelet

"Tutti Frutti" is an Italian phrase for "all fruits"... it is used to describe a desert or multicolored confection made from chopped fruit. Some of you may remember that Elvis Presley recorded a song with the same name. He even had a 'gal named Sue'...(at least in the song ;) ...

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09-03-02 Chinese Cinnabar Lacquer Bracelet and Necklace Chinese Cinnabar Lacquer Bracelet and Necklace

This huge (2 3/4" high) 19th century cinnabar and black lacquer bracelet has an unusual construction. Its three metal panels are curved, hinged and painted with a thick paint colored with cinnabar. The three black lacquer panels are carved with open work and attached to the metal base, so the red you see in the spaces of the lacquer is actually the paint on the base.

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09-03-24 Chinese and Japanese Cinnabar Part 2 Cinnabar Part 2 �Chinese and Japanese

Cinnabar was important in both China and Japan. In fact, in 1609 the Japanese gave control of cinnabar (Kanji) mining to an official sanctioned guild.The material is the same but the techniques that each country uses are different... this has led to a lot of confusion.

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09-06-23 Chinese Carved Amber Bracelet Chinese Carved Amber Bracelet
The fabulous carved amber beast at the center of this bracelet is clearly a power symbol. In China, for many many years, amber has been treasured as a symbol of courage and strength. Amber ornaments have been found in excavations of Imperial tombs.

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09-07-27 Chinese Mandarin Hat Buttons Mandarin is the commonly used term for high ranking Chinese public officials during the Qing Dynasty�it is estimated that there were over 14,000 in 1899. As I have written about previously, there was a very strict protocol for dress, similar to military uniforms, that proscribed what colors and ornaments were to be worn by each of the 9 ranks of officials.

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09-09-22 Chinese Tourmaline Pearl Necklace Chinese Tourmaline Pearl Necklace

"In 1703 the Dutch brought form Ceylon to Europe a strange red stone called 'Toramalli' by the Sinhalese.", Guide in Color to Precious and Semiprecious Stones. Today this stone is called tourmaline. It is a complex stone; found in many colors: black, blue, red, pink, green. brown, yellow and clear. The most popular color is the deep pinkish red called rubellite...like the stones in this necklace.

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09-11-02 Chinese Vermeil and Gemstone Dragon Bracelet Chinese Vermeil and Gemstone Dragon Bracelet

If you have followed PrivateCollection from the beginning, you know that I love to find bracelets that have the dragon and pearl motif...there are a number in the PictureBook section.... this one is an excellent example of 'The Dragon that Roars'.

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09-11-20 Beads Beads and More Beads Beads Beads and More Beads

Many of you who have read my past blogs know that I have been a bead collector for many years... the extraordinary Chinese beads are what led me to collecting Chinese Jewelry.

Beads are not as easy to display as some of the other collections... they cannot be put in albums like coins or stamps or postcards... and they have to be hidden from family pets... even our Tibetan Terrier loves to play with beads.

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10-01-20 Chinese Silver Dragon Bead Necklace Chinese Silver Dragon Bead Necklace

These silver dragon beads surprised and amazed me when I first saw them...after 10 years of research it is always a pleasure to see something so unique.

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10-02-01 Chinese Mandarin Court Necklace Beads pt 1 Chinese Mandarin Court Necklace Glass Beads

This Mandarin Court Necklace has been sitting in one of my boxes for many years...the four drops do not match the counting or the head beads...but I have searched and searched and I still cannot find the blue glass drops. I decided to show the necklace as I found it...because this necklace begins a story...the story of Chinese glass beads...a story that I have wanted to tell for a very long time...

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10-02-13 Chinese Straits Silver Dragon Bracelets 10-02-13 Chinese Straits Silver Dragon Bracelets

These wonderful dragon bracelets came to me at different times from different sources... but the workmanship is so similar that I believe they were made by the same artist.

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10-03-12 Chinese Carved Glass Knotted Beads Chinese Carved Glass Knotted Beads

This fabulous necklace of oval blue glass beads carved the the Shou Symbol is an example of the finest Chinese glass carving�

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10-03-22 Chinese Silver Carved Amethyst Bracelet Chinese Silver Carved Amethyst Bracelet

This early amethyst carving of melons, flowers and a badger � symbols associated with marriage � is a work of art by a master craftsman.

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10-04-12 Chinese Qing Dynasty Hair Pins Chinese Qing Dynasty Hair Pins

In the Qing Dynasty, men of wealthy upper class wore hats and ornaments such as hat buttons the clearly indicated their rank. Their wives' hair style and ornaments also tell a story....

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10-04-19 Chinese Monkey King in Jade Chinese Monkey King in Jade

The monkey is a common subject in Chinese art� these two carvings represent the most famous monkey in Asia�

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10-04-27 Chinese Carved Smoky Quartz Necklace Chinese Smoky Quartz Necklace

I came across this lovely 19th century Chinese smoky quartz carving many years ago. As I mentioned in my post on the Silver Carved Amethyst bracelet, stones in the quartz family are very difficult to carve� so it is rare to find a pendent of this quality. This is another work of art by a master craftsman.

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10-05-11 Chinese Silver Six Dragon Bracelet Chinese Silver Six Dragon Bracelet

In the West, the dragon is sometimes associated with danger and fear� the opposite is true in the East. The Chinese dragon is good natured� a symbol of male energy, fertility� he is the highest ranking animal in China.

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10-05-19 Chinese Silver Lapis Buddha Ring Chinese Silver Lapis Buddha Ring

This is a lovely old lapis carving� two melons with the prunus blossom surrounded by silver rope and leaves� but this is also a ring that has a secret!

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10-05-31 Chinese Export Silver Bracelet Box Chinese Export Silver Bracelet Box

When is a box not a box? ..... Answer: when it is seven bracelets... Another great example of the ingenuity of the Chinese Artisan.

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10-06-22 Chinese Court Necklace Fodouda In my 07-08-15 Chinese full Court Necklace post, I commented: "The Mandarin Court Necklace is the goal of the serious collector." There must have been some very serious collectors... because recently a Chinese Emperor's Court Necklace sold ... for over 8 million dollars (US) ...

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10-07-15 Chinese Silver Jade Bracelet with Granulation Chinese Silver Jade Bracelet with Granulation

This is an early Chinese Export Silver bracelet ... with a large beautifully carved jade flower centerpiece (4.5cm in diameter). It is obvious that the jade carving is unusual and striking...

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10-10-12 Chinese Silver Pomander Earrings Chinese Silver Pomander Earrings

In my searches for unusual examples of Chinese jewelry, I sometimes find pieces designed to contain something fragrant� they are called pomanders� a perforated container which can be filled with aromatic herbs or a piece of silk with scented oils.

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10-11-07 Chinese Leaded Glass Bead Necklace Chinese Leaded Glass Bead Necklace

Several years ago I acquired this silver and blue glass necklace from a woman who told me that her mother had bought it from Gump�s� a famous San Francisco store known for selling orientalia including jade.

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10-11-21 Chinese Sterling Carved Bezoar Bracelet Chinese Sterling Carved Bezoar Bracelet

I have always felt that this bracelet was special� when I first wrote about it in my October, 2008 post, I commented: �This is the most expressive piece of jewelry in the collection�.

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11-01-17 Huge Chinese Silver Cuff Huge Chinese Silver Cuff with 8 Immortals

This is the only Chinese bracelet that I have ever seen that pictures a legend from the Ming Dynasty. At first all you can see is a huge Shou symbol� which appears on many Chinese ornaments.

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11-02-03 Chinese Silver Jade Cicada Necklace Chinese Silver Jade Cicada Necklace

This necklace is solid silver vermeil with crude hallmarks. The five early hand-carved cicadas are surrounded by repouss� floral frames� hanging from the first Chinese marked �book chain� I have ever seen.

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11-03-25 Chines 19t Century Amber Necklace Pendant Chinese 19th Century Amber Necklace and Pendant

This 19th Century necklace uses Chinese knots and features a large cherry amber carving of Buddha's Hand... a symbol of a long and happy life...

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11-04-05 Chinese Lucky Spider Necklace and Bracelets Chinese Lucky Spider Necklace and Bracelets

"Spider sliding down his web symbolizes good luck descending from heaven"... Eberhard.

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11-04-17 Chinese Silver and Coral Wedding Bangle Set Chinese Coral Silver Wedding Bangles

It was about ten years ago that I bought my first pair of antique Chinese silver wedding bangles...

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11-05-03 Chinese Export Silver Jade Magnifying Glass Chinese Export Silver Jade Magnifying Glass

This magnifying glass was just too beautiful to resist� the silver work� repouss� leaves and flowers set with six 19th century jade buttons � on each side.

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11-05-23 Chinese Granulated Silver Bracelet Chinese Granulated Silver Bracelet

This is a wonderful example of detailed workmanship and elegant design� the granulation is perhaps the tiniest I have ever seen� creating a motif of hanging fruit with leaves�

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11-06-15 Chinese Silver He Xiangu Bracelet Chinese Silver He Xiangu Bracelet

This is another one of a kind example�a large bracelet featuring Immortal Woman He or He Xiangu (Named: H� Qi�ng or H� Xian Gu in pinyin) �the only female of the 8 Immortals� depicted on 3 panels of silver vermeil.

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11-07-02 Chinese Silver and Wood Bracelets Chinese Silver and Wood Bracelets

Another interesting design by #23 ...These two bracelets were also made by the same designer as the pieces in my last blog. Again the construction of the bracelets is very different.

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11-07-09 Chinese Ronde-bosse Enamel Ornaments Our blogs have always used two terms to describe Chinese enamels: cloisonn� and Canton enamel ...but there is a third type of Chinese Enamel ...

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11-07-12 Chinese Court Necklace We have featured a number of these necklaces on the blog over the years � there is something very special and compelling about them. One can only imagine the history that they have witnessed �the stories that they could tell!

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11-07-22 Chinese Silver Enamel Dragon Bracelet Our Best Chinese Silver Dragon Bracelet! Over the years we have owned many silver dragon bracelets and I always believed that the large repouss� silver dragon (10-05-11) was the most dramatic... over the years we have acquired three of them and seen 4-5 others.

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11-11-07 Chinese Antique Eggshell Porcelain Beads Chinese Antique Eggshell Porcelain Beads

�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.

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12-01-03 Chinese Asian Export Silver Bracelets Chinese Asian Export Silver Bracelets

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.

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12-02-11 Chinese Carved Peach Pit Beads Chinese Antique Carved Peach Pit Beads

This post might have been easily titled "The Peach Pits of Immortality?" The small 10mm carved olive pits in this 19th century necklace may look familiar to you if you have been reading this blog for a while�

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12-03-26 Chinese Carved Smokey Quartz Bracelet Chinese Carved Smokey Quartz Bracelet

This is a rare bracelet that I have been trying to find for years. I found two smoky quartz pendants 5 years ago� so I have always believed there was a Chinese Carved Smokey Quartz bracelet out there somewhere � it would just be a matter of time.

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12-06-24 Chinese Silver Glass Bracelet Chinese Export Silver Glass Bracelet

This is a beautiful example of Chinese silver work combined with the �Western taste� for gemstone bracelets� probably made in the 30�s by studio #23 and sold by another jewelry shop, what impresses me the most is the quality of the cut glass and the way it reflects light�

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12-07-30 Chinese Silver Carved Lapis Bracelet Chinese Antique Carved Lapis Bracelet

Over the years, long before we started doing this blog, Bob and I have collected over five hundred pieces of Chinese ornaments� and that does not include pieces that �did not make the grade� and were sold in shops and at shows.

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12-10-09 Antique Chinese Silver Wedding Cuff Antique Chinese Silver Wedding Cuff

This large and very dramatic Chinese silver cuff with turquoise and coral inlaid cabs is almost 3 3/4 inches in length �I think it is probably part of a pair� and was worn by a bride as a gift for her wedding day.

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12-10-29 Antique Chinese Coral Turquoise Silver Bracelet-Posted Antique Chinese Vermeil Coral Turquoise Bracelet

The bracelet pictured directly below is not the Antique bracelet in the title� it is a �vintage� Chinese silver vermeil enameled bracelet with glass faux turquoise cabs instead of stones� the �antique� bracelet is pictured below it.

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13-01-03 Chinese Antique Yellow Peking Beads Chinese Antique Yellow Court Beads

It is wonderful to be starting our seventh year with the PhotoBlog! It is amazing that time can pass by so quickly. We would like to thank all of you for your support� your emails and comments have made this �adventure� all the more exciting!!

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13-01-20 -Vintage Chinese Mother of Pearl Dragon Buckle Vintage Chinese Carved Mother of Pearl Dragon

This Chinese hand carved dragon buckle is the most unusual example of carved Mother of Pearl that I have ever been able to find.

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13-02-23 Chinese Vintage Vermeil Eggplant Necklace Chinese Vintage Vermeil Eggplant Necklace

This is a very unique and beautiful Chinese Wedding Necklace. It took me a while to figure out what the 30 symbols hanging on this beautiful silver vermeil wedding necklace were �

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13-03-04 Chinese Vintage Jade Silver Bracelet Chinese Vintage Jade Silver Bracelet

This is a really wonderful example of a 1930�s era Chinese silver enamelled bracelet that features hand carved jade hair pin ornaments from the 19th century. We have shown similar bracelets from that era or earlier� many of them very large to hold magnificent carved plaques�

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13-03-22 Antique Chinese Silver Jade Broach Conversion Antique Chinese Silver Jade Broach Conversion

I found a lovely antique Chinese broach with a beautiful 19th century jadeite carving ...butterflies and flowers and set in a intricate silver setting. The pin was missing, clasp broken� but it was an ideal piece to use for a necklace.

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13-04-02 Chinese Canton Enamel Beads with Cloisonne Comparison Chinese Canton Enamel Beads with Cloisonn� Comparison

Neither of the these enamel techniques have their origins in China. Enamel painting was introduced probably from the French in the early 18th century where it was adapted with such skill that the form is often referred to as �Canton Enamel� because �Chinese artisans excel in it.

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13-04-15 Chinese Imperial Yellow Porcelain Beads Chinese Imperial Yellow Porcelain Beads

In my September 2011 blog I wrote:

�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�. These are the most amazing beads that I have ever owned �"

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13-05-01 Chinese Mandarin Court Necklace Restoration Project-Posted Out of the Attic

Introduction- Chinese Mandarin Court Necklace Restoration Project

In 2007 when we were just getting the blog started, one of the first pieces I photographed for Susan was a Mandarin Court Necklace. There are two things that I remember the most. The first was trying to figure out how to lay out a very large and complicated piece to illustrate it to its best advantage. The second was how different it was from the other pieces in the collection.

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PrivateCollection's PictureBook

Singapore RE 2.5.2