CHINA
AND TAIWAN |
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| KINGFISHER
FEATHER BEADS on a hanging ornament. Feather mosaics
are glued onto a wood or composition core; the beads are 0.8 cm diameter.
Note metal fillers; red beads similar to those on page 62. Such antique
feather beads are unique to the Chinese. Courtesy of Overseas Trading
Co. |
GLASS COUNTERWEIGHTS ON COURT NECKLACES showing best (bottom) to poorest crafting of stylized eternal knots; maximum width is 4.5 cm; $50 each in 1984. Courtesy of Rita Okrent. |
 CLOISONNE AND ENAMEL BEADS are probably pre-World War II vintage and purchased in the United States during the middle 1970s. Made of copper, with varying degrees of finesse; best are the large tabular beads. Some display an openwork technique in which part of the surface is gilded; others are stamped and enameled (silver or blue tabular bead). Contemporary examples from the People's Republic of China or Tawain can be readily differentiated from the ones shown. It is still not known how these were used but some were joined for use as belt buckles. Sizes range 1.9 to 5.1 cm long. |
 CINNABAR BEADS AND PENDANTS made in the People’s Republic of China of mercuric sulfide lacquer built up in layers over a wood base, then template carved by machine on both sides; largest is 5.4 cm diameter. Carved cinnabar may date back to the thirteenth century. Black derives from lampblack coloring the sap. Courtesy of Abeada Corporation. |
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© 1995-2010 by Robert K. Liu and Ornament Inc. All rights reserved. |
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