SPIRAL COIL BEADS

These 2 coil beads were purchased at the same time as the chinese glass ornaments described in earlier two posts.

Here are some smaller specimens.

Previously I thought they belonged to the tradewind category and going as far back as the 12th century but now it looks like they are also Ming dynasty. According to the book Zhong Guo Gu Dai Bo Li Jian Shang Tu Lu,  these coil beads are quite plentiful, (though ironically I have only this handful to show) and they are therefore lowly rated at only 3.

Here are some blue glass coil beads which are in better condition and with more turns. These were collected from South Vietnam but may have a similar vintage and origin as the Chinese coil beads. However these examples were not included in Zhong Guo Gu Dai Bo Li Jian Shang Tu Lu.

Chinese Glass Ornaments 2

Blue Glass Ear Ornament

This sweet little blue glass thingy had been perplexing me ever since I bought it.

Neither pierced nor perforated, it is neither a bead nor a pendant  and is distinguished by a depression across the centre.

centre depression

The depression extends all the way to the back.

back view

It was purchased together with other Ming glass ornaments discussed in previous post. A more savvy collector could have guessed its use easily, but not an ignoramus like me !

Now thanks to Zhong Guo Gu Dai Bo Li Jian Shang Tu Lu,  I know  for sure that its an ear ornament. Here's how it could have been used originally:

Hah ! Mystery solved and case concluded :)

My only regret is it didn't prove to be as "rare and mysterious" as I had imagined. The book only gave it a rating of 3+  which means there must be many pieces out there for the taking.

Chinese Glass Ornaments 1

Glass Flower Ornament/Huan

I purchased this glass ornament some years ago from my connoisseur  collector  friend  C.

All this while I thought it was a Yuan dynasty (AD 1279-1368) glass artifact, as claimed by seller,  backed by research from various books, and agreed by me .  However, my recent purchase of the Chinese publication "Zhong Guo Gu Dai Bo Li Jian  Shang Tu Lu"  has given me new insights into dates of the old Chinese glass in my collection. It looks like I have to revise  my opinion on this piece as well as those already posted in  earlier posts. *

"Zhong Guo Gu Dai  etc" is a very comprehensive record of Chinese glass with examples from Warring States to Qing dynasty. However the  bulk of the pieces shown in the book are concentrated on Ming glass ornaments. There are extensive examples and there is even a grading system for the rarity of each piece,  The grades given range from 1-9, with 1 being the low ranking common items while 9 is the nonepareil! So now I am busy grading my bits and pieces of Chinese glass, hoping to turn up a gem. Hehe!

My piece appears in the book and has a ranking of 7-  which I suppose is quite  good and rare. :)

Rare glass flower huan

It is described as a flower shaped huan which can be used as a Pei, dating to Ming Dynasty (AD1368-1644) I am gratified to learn its exact shape and use as I had previously been unable to figure out its shape and had vaguely conjectured that it resembles a belt buckle with some missing parts !

Here's another item of mine that has achieved  an even higher ranking, of  7+, so it must be quite , quite rare. It was previously posted under the title Blue Pendant with Buffalo Under the Moon

According to the book this pendant was made by the mo ya cheng xing or "mold pressed into shape method." The writer further asserts that the broken line at the bottom of the pendant was caused by a break in the mold as all such pendants carry the same broken line. Although his conclusion has cleared my queries about the broken line it raises other questions. Why could'nt they make a new mold instead of leaving the pendants in such a slip-shod state? Were molds so expensive to replace or were these pendants just cheap trinkets in those days rather than the prized possessions they are to to collectors of the present age?

My highest rated piece.

*  Here are the links to previous posts about other Chinese glass ornaments that need revision. All the pieces should now be re-dated to Ming AD 1368-1644.

A winter sonata necklace
Birds and Petals on a Vine of Coil Beads
Amulets, pendants and coil beads necklace
Blue Pendant with Buffalo Under the Moon
https://baiyu-quietmuse.blogspot.com/2007/09/blue-florets-and-pendant-beads-strand.html

Zhong Guo Gu Dai Bo Li Jian Shang Tu Lu was published in 2010.
ISBN 978-7-5398-1564-0

Red Cicada Bead

In ancient China cicadas were used as burial objects and are normally made from jade or white/green glass. Red cicadas on the other hand are rarely seen or documented. My guess is that,  red being an auspicious color did not make "proper" grave goods and red cicadas were therefore not as popular as the jade ones.

Perhaps, this one is modern or at least Qing as the surface is quite worn. Personally I prefer my cheery, chubby critter (allit.....allit... ah alliteration, it rhymes :) ) to the flat, aloof Han specimens which are made of jade or glass.

At  first I mistook the material to be carnelian. On closer exam it turned out to be glass because of the bubbles seen under a magnifyer.

Measuring 2.3cmx1.5cm in the round, this cicada has a deep cut on both sides of the body.

 

I am not sure what the cut-in sides indicate. Had the maker intended to cut it into two flat cicadas but changed his mind at the last minute, and perforated it instead, turning it into a bead ? The large perforation is drilled from head to tail and the whole cicada measures 2.3x1.5cm. It could   have served as a hair accessory or as a Pei.

I have strung it with new Chinese turquoise beads for use as a bracelet. The bright turquoise makes the bead darker than it really is.

An alternative bracelet with lighter jade beads, show up its subdued tones  like a faded beauty.

QUADRAPLET ROCK CRYSTAL BEAD

Bead that rocks

This is one rock crsytal bead that ROCKS ! Its shape is rather unusual being made up of 4 beads carved from one rock crystal. What should be the right word to describe its shape ? Quadraplet is what I have in mind except it doesnt conform to bead terminology, but never mind.

When I first saw it I thought it resembled an aeroplane. But then on second glance it looked like a bird, a rocket even a spaceship !! Rather ingenious bead maker with something of the funky touch.

Bird , aeroplane or rocket ?

The perfs are quite large and in each of them are concentric ring tool marks. The crystal surface is weathered and primitive and the bead measures 3cmx2.5cm. Was it meant to be worn as a pendant or a bead? In any case why 4 perforations?

I haven't seen the likes of such a bead before. Nor seen it documented in any book or on the net. For all I know it might have been used as a Tibetan amulet, Mongolian sword ornament, Manchurian flask decoration,  neolithic mythical  object, ritualistic symbol is anyone's guess. I may be wrong but it doesn't look like a Han artefact although the bead came from China.

still trying to figure out the object....

Hmmmm, if this is a bird I  guess the large central bead maybe the body and the 2 side appendages  may be the wings but what about the top appendage. Is it a bird  carrying something on its back? Louis Cha's tales of Condor Heros come to mind :))

BIRD BEAD

to this bird loving world..... and all you bead loving people... 

When I saw this turquoise bird bead, it immediately reminded me of my kingfisher friends in the backyard. (see my other blog Kingfisher on my fence.)


Kingfishers from my Garden

These real life kingfishers from my garden, can be quite noisy but when they perch on my fence they are very silent and still and make good companions.

Those are the real birds now for my turquoise simulation.

My turquoise bird bead is tiny and measures 2.5x1.5cm. The body is plain except for one incised line near its upswept double level tail. Its round eyes look serious and thoughtful not unlike my kingfisher companions at the backyard. The legs are not drawn and ends in a pedestal. The perforation is top down and could have been used as a Pei and worn from the waist. Because of its smallness it could also have been an ornamental element in  a necklace.

There are  marks all over its body and circular marks around the eyes. It has the qualilties of an archaic bird but I can't find a good enough comparison to specify a period.

So, dear little blue bird, whether you hail from Dongzhou, Xizhou, Shang, Han or even 21 st century, its still a bird-loving world from BC to AD :)

JATIMS REVISITED

FUN WITH JATIMS

Jatims are ancient glass beads from Indonesia. I am revisiting and trying to relove my jatim beads even though I am not sure how many of them are genuine and how many are fakes. They look pretty neat onscreen and I may just about con myself into believing their authenticity. Heh! Heh!

Beautiful Beads -- too good to be true? (sigh)

Fakery or fogery aside, these beads are decorative and appealing.

Jatims stand tall with other fun beads

Jatims are more outstanding seen vertically than lying flat. I got the idea from a bead display I saw on the net.

RECYCLED PEKING GLASS BEADS

The pair of pretty antique earrings shown below is made from Peking glass beads.

I can't decide whether these beads have been recycled into earrings or whether they are just broken earrings. Looking at the end holes beneath the silver caps, I can see damage, so the beads may have been retrieved from a bead necklace and remade/recycled into earrings. Or they may have been earrings all along and the ends merely damaged from use. Who can tell?

The silver chains look like from late Qing period and the earrings probably date from late 19th century.

Xizhou Carnelian (Manao) Disc Beads

Here's a richly red string of carnelian (manao) disc beads from the Xizhou Dynasty (1027-771BC)

There are numerous examples of these carnelian discs in Chinese and Western books. A string of  carnelian discs like mine, can be seen in Roger Chow's Sparkling Splendor, pg.90 which is attributed to the Xizhou Dynasty.

Carnelian discs also appear in the magnificient pectoral ensembles of Xizhou Dynasty. Many examples  are documented in the Chinese publication Zhonghua Wenming Chuan Zhen 2. on pg. 99,105,111,112,113.  However  carnelian discs were used only in supporting and contrasting roles  to hold  the more valuable jade congs, plaques, huangs, bis and the whatever important jades in place and to give color contrast.

Below is a picture of a Zhou jade pectoral exhibited at the Henan Museum. It shows an ensemble of carnelian discs sitting alongside jade huangs. Whee ! what a swinging chain fit for an emperor to strut around in.  Who else would go striding around with such a chain :) ?

In Zhou times the discs rosy hue must have made a striking contrast with the white nephrite huangs. For present day use I prefer to put them next to icy crystals.

 Manao and crystal

Although the carnelian discs maybe  generic and  unremarkable alongside the princely jade pieces, I am a sucker for their flaming color and their rich place in history.

Here is a favourite bracelet of mine using the discs together with slender jade tubes

Jade tubes are not so old and maybe at most only 50-100 years or less.