ART IMITATES NATURE

Here are 2  tiny jade sculptures measuring about 1.5cm and 1.8cm each.   They look like fruits but what fruit is represented by their odd shape ?

Exotic jade fruit carving

According to a jade enthusiast friend, they are called "Buddha hands" after the exotic fruit  Citrus medica var sarcodactylis  or fingered citron.
 
To settle my curoisity I googled Buddha Hands fruit and found that such fruit hands are described as ...

  "  In China the Buddha’s Hand citron symbolizes happiness and long life, because its name, “fo-shou”, has those meanings when written with other characters. Chinese like to carry the fruit in their hands, place it on tables in their homes, and present it as a sacrificial offering at temple altars......
the Buddha’s Hand fruit was important by the 10th century A.D. in Fujian. Chinese artists classically depicted the fruit in jade and ivory carvings, in prints, and on lacquered wood panels "

With my interest piqued I tracked down this interesting fruit at our local market. Here is a picture of  one variety of the fruit.

Buddha Hands fruits, the Indonesian variety



large fruits and mini imitations in jade

 

Art imitates nature, so cute:)

 

These  hands with the fingers closed are somewhat different from those described in my earlier post  Beautiful Hands . But both are known as Buddha hands.

 

 I guess Hands is a much explored object in art.

 

 

BEADS OR PEBBLES ?

Are these are beads or pebbles.? Their unformed shape resembles little pebbles but they have holes drilled in them so they can be strung up as beads.  So are these Pebbly beads or beady pebbles?

Pebbly Beads or Beady Pebbles

These stones (agates) have a smooth texture with  a sprinkle of silvery  patina.

There is an hidden eye in this pebble/bead

Hidden Eye

If you look hard and deep with a loupe you can see the remains of wavy bands




Wavy Bands

Dropped Eye

The eye seemed to have dropped out from this piece revealing the quartzy interior.

Aren't  agates be they beads or pebbles just intriguing ?

Queer Fish

This brown fish is, um a    bird !

looks like a fish

Picked up among the riff-raff of a flea market in China it is a tantalising piece of jade. My first impression was that it resembled a fish lying on its belly. I can even see fins and the scales.

But turn the fish upside down and hey presto it becomes a    bird !

looks like a bird

What looked like fins are now the feet. Just love these trick pieces :))

Is it ancient ?The stone is weathered and old. The piece looks handcarved. The obverse is almost completely corroded but traces of the original carving which is identical to the good side can still be seen.

Corroded side



Flat animal carvings like my fish/bird are often assigned to  the Shang-Zhou dynasty (1600-256BC) While this piece feels somewhat archaic, there is also something suspicious about the carving style. What is that eye-looking motif doing in the bird's wing ? The normal pattern should end with a 'C' scroll. Here it looks more like an eye from a Picasso painting ! What a mixmatch of styles, shapes, and periods. It could be some form of hybrid  art.

Wrong Eye!

Modern Art ?

Is this neolithic art, mordern art or forgers art. Well  interpretation may well be in the Eyes of the Beholder :))  Meanwhile this inexpensive piece has given me much thoughts to ponder.

Mercedes Benz Logo on Ancient Quartz Bead

The heading for this post sounds like some sensational web blast. But take a look at this bead and you will be struck by the resemblance to the famous logo.

Round crystal bead with  y-shaped perforations

This flat, round quartz/crystal bead with perforations arranged like a Y, looks like an imitation of  Benz logo, or is it the other way round ? Did archaic men have the same ideas as modern logo designers ? Hmmm, is it some time tunnel or thought transference thing that inspired  the look-alike :))  Measuring 2.5 cm the  translucency also shows off the perforations beautifully.

Purchased in China from one of the numerous road side stalls the ancient authenticity cannot be guaranteed. But here are some signs to consider. The bead is bevelled around the circular sides. Actually I am not sure whether bevelling is a sign of authenticity ! There are well defined ring tool marks in the perforations. Again it is hard to judge between ancient and modern tool marks.

Similar beads can be seen in Sparkling Splendours by Roger Chow p.125-126. and dating  them to Warring States period 475-221BC. I have also come across a similar specimen  on the net taken from China's Hubei museum which dates it also to Warring States.

However I was disappointed to learn that such beads have also been seen in the Panjiayuan Market scattered among other fakes. 

No doubt all the points for or against ancient authenticity that I have raised are subjective. But it is still a neat and intriguing bead and I have no regrets purchasing it. Now if only Benz would pay 3 mil for this ancient relic of their logo.  Ah, but dream on....:)

I tried hard to make a unique necklace out of this unique bead but could only come up with this pretty lame piece.

 unique or lame?  - make a vote

This crystal bead also comes with x-shaped perforations. Again examples of such beads can be seen in Roger Chow's Sparkling Splendours.

perforations form the letter x

I wonder whether there is any special purpose for these x and y shaped perforations. What was the original stringing like ? They could also have been used as cowries.

Mystery Beads

Another Dragon for Dragon Year 2012

I had forgotten all about this seal which I had purchased in Phnom  Penh some years back. So glad I rediscovered it in time for the lunar new year because it features a dragon made of quartz crystal.

 Although this is not a Chinese dragon but a Khmer dragon I still think it is appropriate for this Lunar New Year season. In Khmer mythology a dragon is known as Naga or Neak.

What a cool dragon or or should I say  dragoness.....is she the Princess dragon of Khmer mythology........?

LITTLE HIDDEN DRAGON

I am ringing in Lunar New Year 2012 with this tiny jade dragon. This is no ferocious fire spitting dragon. He is quiet and mysterious - he must be Hidden Dragon :))

Measuring 3.5 cm x 0.8cm it is indeed a tiny dragon you may also call it  Kid dragon :))  Made from a thin slab of yellow jade its zoomorphic appearance seems to   indicate a very early birth. It may even be considered a Shang or Zhou hopeful ( 13th-10th centuryBC). Here's the reverse view of hidden, kid dragon

Look at it from upside down, and its still the auspicious dragon that I so love !

I had it attached to a Chinese silk cord and it is all ready to wear and greet the new year.

And here is an illuminated view of jade dragon

O Hidden Kid Dragon my wish is for Health and Happiness to All this Lunar New Year !