chinness antique

The Chronology of Chinese Dynasties

China is home of the oldest surviving civilization on earth. For millennia the Chinese were ruled by various Emperors, whose families formed the Dynasties. As each new dynasty came to power it would overthrow the preceeding one, changing the course of history a century at a time. Some of the early dates are speculative at best as few of the leading authorities agree on all but the chronology. Xia Dynasty: c.2500 - c.1600 B.C. The most prehistoric of the dynasties which began the evolution of Chinese civilization. 20th Century archaeologists have gone a long way toward marrying Xia myth and reality, as many ancient Chinese texts which pointed to settlements have been proven to exist by actual excavation with finds of tombs and bronze implements. Shang Dynasty: c.1700 - c.1050 B.C. The Shang Dynasty advanced itself through agriculture and animal husbandry as well as hunting. Bronzework was already in existence and showed improved workmanship, along with the development of an early writing system. With civilization comes the need to honour thy leader, and evidence from royal tombs indicate a belief in the afterlife. Royals were buried with articles of value, probably for use in the afterlife, and evidence also exists for the inclusion of servants, possibly slaves, who were buried alive in the royal chamber. Zhou Dynasty: c.1027 - 221 B.C. Western Zhou: C.1027 - 771 B.C. Eastern Zhou: 770 - 221 B.C. At 800 years the Zhou (often Chou) Dynasty was the longest lived, enlarging the empire by conquest and colonization and promoting philosophy. Confucius (c.551-497BC) was a statesman and advisor to various feudal lords. He taught the philosophy of co-existence and mutual duty, which emphasized personal virtue, devotion to the family, including one's ancestors, justice and diplomacy. Taoism also has its origins during the sixth century BC, a Chinese philosophy and religious system based on the teachings of Lao-tse. The concept of Tao being to reach practical and spiritual harmony with the universe. Following invasion in 771 B.C. the empire became increasingly fragmented as the power behind the Zhou dynasty gradually diminished. Qin Dynasty: 221 - 207 B.C. Once the last of the Warring States (a sub-period from the last 250 years of the Eastern Zhou) conquered and brought under control its rival states, the Qin Dynasty was founded. Though short-lived, the Qin system of hard rule imperialism founded the first real unified empire and established trade, communication, commerce and education. To consolidate their position, the kings of Qin rejected Confucianism, violently persecuting its believers. Constant vigilance to the north and south kept out the barbarian invaders and the earlier fortification walls built by the Warring States along its northern Mongolian border were connected to create a 2400km defensive wall, commonly known as the Great Wall of China. Han Dynasty: 206 B.C. - A.D. 220 The heavy handed rule of the Qin was replaced by the more lenient Han Dynasties. With relative freedom, intellectual and literary work flourished. The ideals of Confucius were adopted by the Han Emperors and Confucian scholars began to take positions of importance in the civil service. The empire grew and frontiers were extended bringing relatively safe passage for traders from other countries into and out of China. Most notably, the "silk road" which was the route west and allowed the export of Chinese silk to ancient Rome. The other great Chinese inventions, paper and porcelain, also date from this period. After 400 years the Han rulers seemed to lose their way and the empire become the victim of its own success. Either through corruption, rivalry or greed, the politically complex system of government collapsed. Various Dynasties: 220 - 581 Three Kingdoms: 220-280 Jin Dynasty: 265-420 Six Kingdoms: 420-581 Following the Han Dynasties, a succession of other Dynasties gradually allowed the Chinese culture and it's great empire, to fall into decay. I suppose this would be the equivalent of Europes Dark Ages, a period in our own history marked by a lack of cultural development. Sui Dynasty: 581 - 618 Although started by the Wei Dynasty from about AD384, it was the newly founded Sui Dynasty that finally reunited the splintered empire. Buddhism, first introduced in the 1st Century AD from India, now took on a new significance and followers flocked to the new enlightenment, as they also did to Taoism, the philosophy of nature. The Sui Dynasty created economic stability along with a centralized, stable government and the empire again prospered. Political meddling and dubious military campaigns into Korea by the Emperors son, who rose to power on the death of his father, brought down the government and the Dynasty. Tang Dynasty: 618 - 960 The Tang Dynasty ruled over a golden age in the field of art and literature, and a great expansion in trade occurred out as far as India and the Middle East. Probably the most creative period in Chinese history, with large quantities of surviving pottery, displaying a wide variety of techniques and colours. The capital Changan became a famous cosmopolitan centre. This higher culture included poetry and the Buddhist arts, which flourished. With the invention of block printing, suddenly the written word became available to many more citizens of the empire at a time when education would equal social status and wealth. The Tang only ruled up to 907, following defeat by northern invaders, fragmentary dynasties ruled from 907 - 960. Sung (or Song) Dynasty: 960 - 1279 Northern Sung: 960 - 1127 & Southern Sung: 1127 - 1279 Under Sung rule, peace was restored and China achieved one of its highest levels of culture and prosperity. The empire was united under one Emperor instead of a plethora of governorships and this led to greater stability for the people and more power for the Emperor. The Sung sub-periods occurred when repeated invasions from the north forced the Sung court to move south. Soon the building of new cities from which to oversee the empire and the opening up of trade routes with the rest of the world, rewarded a much higher percentage of the population with financial independence from the state. A renewed interest in Confucianism combined intellectuals with art, literature and poetry, philosophers with government office, and the merchants with hard-paste porcelain which could be exported to the interior and the world. The Mongol leader Genghis Khan captured Beijing in 1215 and following the completion of "The Quest of China", Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan) brought the Sung Dynasty to an end in 1279. Yuan Dynasty: 1279 - 1368 The Yuan Dynasty, a Mongol Dynasty, enjoyed an enviable success rate on the battlefield which it could not sustain during peace time. Financial demands on the population resulted in peasantry and famine, which, along with natural disasters, notably flooding, produced numerous and sustained uprisings in almost every province. Eventually the rebels began to stand their ground and were winning more and more influence in the provinces. It was the rebel leader, Zhu Yuan-chang, a former Buddhist monk, who eventually proclaimed himself leader and founded the Ming Dynasty in 1368. Ming Dynasty: 1368 - 1644 By 1382, Zhu Yuan-chang had driven the Mongols out of Beijing(1371) and unified most of China. The arts flourished and periods of foreign trade began as the first European seafarers reached China from Portugal, England, France and the Dutch East India Company. Top of the list was the distinctive blue-and-white porcelain which began a new period in Chinese ceramic history. An Imperial factory, built in the Kiangsi province would produced prolific quantities of blue-and-white and fine enamel-painted porcelain, firstly for the court and later for general use and then export, at which point Ming pottery became very famous abroad. Qing, Ch'ing or the Manchu Dynasty: 1644 - 1911 The Manchu Dynasty, a northern people, took Beijing from the Ming in 1644 and became the last ruling dynasty of China. A long dynasty of relative stability, but isolation, cultural stagnation, and generally weakened by rebellion, the government began to lose its grip. The Manchurians suffered several military defeats toward the end of the 19th Century and following a popular revolution, Dr.Sun Zhongshan, a revolutionary leader, inaugurated a republic in 1912. The days of Dynasty rule were over. Author: Phil Chave A Brief History of Tunbridge Ware Tunbridge Ware is a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it. Those that love it, very often collect it with a passion, and those that hate it have been known to simply throw it away. The term 'Tunbridge Ware' is applied, mainly, to a unique form of decorative wooden inlaid marquetry that was developed and manufactured in the Tunbridge Wells area of Kent, from the 17thC (c.1650) until the late 1930's, though the most sought after period is between 1830 and 1900. Minute strips of wood, in a great variety of natural colours and types were used to build up, first, geometric patterns, and later, floral decorations, landscape scenes, buildings, animals and birds. Why Tunbridge Wells and then Royal Tunbridge Wells? Way back in 1606 a chalybeate spring was discovered on the Tunbridge site, by a nobleman, Lord North. Chalybeate water is impregnated with salts of iron. The area was bridleway and common land, used by nearby farmers to graze livestock. Mineral water was believed to have healing properties and it wasn't long before more and more people flocked to drink from the spring. People mean trade and soon wells were dug and coffee houses built. Local tradesmen began selling their wares to the visitors, mainly wealthy Londoners. The first Royal visitor to Tunbridge was in 1630 when Queen Henrietta Maria, consort of Charles I, came after the birth of the future Charles II. Later in 1698 Princess Anne (Queen Anne in 1702) visited the early town. It wasn't unheard of for Princess Victoria to make frequent visits to Tunbridge with her mother, Victoria Maria, Duchess of Kent, on a quest to buy local made Tunbridge Ware as gifts for her family. Writers of the time spoke of the fashion for drinking the 'healing' waters and of the goods and provisions available to visitors. Gradually this included comments about 'all sorts of curious wooden ware' available as souvenirs and gifts. With trade and rapid expansion during the 19thC the town prospered, becoming a popular spa resort. Housing, industry, a theatre, churches and eventually roads, piped water, a hospital and the railway all came to Tunbridge and 'the wells', transforming it into a thriving provincial town. The town was eventually made 'Royal' by King Edward VII in 1909. It was during the 18 & 19thC's that the town became famous for its Tunbridge Ware. Tourists were offered a variety of souvenirs as mementos of their stay at the wells, these early wares being mainly 'treen' and undecorated turnery. Gradually gifts became more and more sophisticated, moving on from the early painted wood ware to printed and decorated wood ware in the 18thC, and parquetry from the early 19thC. During this time, the main veneer patterns available were cubes and the triangular Vandyke pattern. Borders would be plain stringing and banding of contrasting timbers. Expensive and time consuming production methods encouraged change and in a fairly short time (around 1830) the sophisticated tessellated mosaics, which we all know so well, became known as Tunbridge Ware. The term Vandyke, often heard when describing Tunbridge Ware, is named after the artist Sir Anthony Vandyke (1599-1641), one of the great Flemish portrait masters, and refers to the scalloped lace collars depicted in his paintings. Among the earliest mosaic was Stickware invented by James Burrows in 1830. Blocks of differently coloured triangular and diamond shaped wooden sticks were assembled by gluing them together into a tight bundle. Sometimes these had a plain wood central core that could be removed to produce hollow wares such as salt and pepper pots and pin cushions. Halfsquare mosaic was developed at the same time and was used as veneer to decorate boxes and other items. Stickware remained popular throughout the next hundred years of production, but was really only the first stage in the development of true tessellated mosaic. Above: A writing slope, c.1860 Right: Pantiles - Henry Hollamby, c.1860 The Tessellated Mosaic technique, once perfected, allowed for very elaborate designs and has become the most well-known and admired form of Tunbridge Ware. Intricate patterns and even pictures could be produced as the minute wooden tesserae could be bundled together, glued, tied and dried, according to preset designs marked out on oversized graph paper patterns. Designs could be seen end on, rather like the letters and pictures running through a stick of rock. Once the bundle became a solid block, it was cut transversely into veneers of around 1.5mm and glued to a variety of blank boxes, trays, inkstands and tables etc. To assist the Bandmaker in assembling the blocks, some 160 different varieties of wood were available, both native and tropical, as more and more exotic woods were brought back by the early explorers. In reality, only about 40 were in regular use, perhaps the most important being sycamore, mahogany, walnut, oak, holly, yew, maple and rosewood. Only natural coloured woods were used, or woods that produced stronger colour naturally by the action of fungus, such as green oak, and boiling. The Victorians love the flamboyant nature of Tunbridge Ware, buying it in great quantities. As a result the industry enjoyed considerable prosperity. Large numbers of items were produced, including: pin cushions, cribbage boards, ink stands, toys, tea caddies and caddy spoons, tables, jewellery, bowls, bookends, paperweights, snuffboxes, pen and glove boxes, tea-poys, writing slopes and a multitude of boxes that could be used around the home. Designs were often indicative of the item, stamp pictures on stamp boxes, for example, but geometric patterns were otherwise augmented with finely detailed animals like butterflies and moths, deer, dogs, flowers, landscape views, building and castles. The Pantiles at Tunbridge Wells, Penhurst Place, Hever, Eridge, Balmoral, Windsor and Tonbridge castles were always popular caddy and box lids. A burr, or burl, is a tree growth with a complex structure that, when cut, lends itself to very decorative veneers, and none more beautiful than light burr sycamore, which is often found between the patterned areas on pieces such as glove boxes. The famous makers. Any visit to an auction or antiques fair will familiarize you with the local craftsmen who became famous names in Tunbridge Ware manufacture, and it is these makers that fetch the highest prices today. Earliest were the Wise and Burrows families from the middle of the 18thC, though Fenner and Co always made that claim. But after 250 years, I guess it's not that important. What is interesting was the apparent head hunting that went on, which had the effect of advancing the techniques of tessellated mosaic to the highest standard and certainly increasing the quantities available. In the second half of the 19thC famous names include Edmund Nye, Thomas Barton, Henry Hollamby and Robert Russell. Edmund Nye and his father took over the Fenner premises after a 30 year partnership which saw William Fenner retire in 1840. The Nye's were joined by Thomas Barton in 1836, who previously had been apprenticed at the Wise factory. Barton was among the finest of the 19thC designers and produced several pieces for the Great Exhibition in 1851. He took over the Nye business in 1863 and continued on his own until 1901. Following an apprenticeship to the Burrows family, Henry Hollamby set up on his own in 1842 to become the largest manufacturer of Tunbridge Ware, employing around 40 people. Noted for his large views of famous buildings, the business was destroyed by fire in 1891 and never revived. Robert Russell also exhibited at the Great Exhibition and worked in Tunbridge producing sophisticated designs for over 20 years. By the turn of the century, as fashion dictates, Tunbridge Ware lost some of its intrigue and the art started to die out through lack of competent craftsmen and workers otherwise caught up in the industrial revolution. When Thomas Barton died in 1903, there was only one surviving firm, that of Boyce, Brown and Kemp. Despite bringing increased mechanization to the production process, sales were slow and after changing hands several times the firm closed in 1927. After a short, small scale, revival in the 30's, the start of WWII saw Tunbridge Ware production fade away. Buying Tunbridge Ware The market for Tunbridge Ware remains strong and large national and private collections have made huge leaps in value in recent years, as have individual pieces. When buying there is much to evaluate, with collectors looking for tessera marquetry in the best condition. Any pieces that have suffered significant damage or loss of veneer should be avoided as intricate mosaic patterns are notoriously difficult to repair. Make sure mosaic is adhering properly all over as individual pieces are easily lost. Veneer that is lifting like a bubble over a large or small area will eventually collapse and break up. The lids and other connecting parts need to fit properly. Non-fitting parts can indicate marriages or warping which is impossible to repair. In recent years cheap imports and look alike has begun to fool the unwary. If you can find pieces with their original label, so much the better. Printed labels can say things like 'A trifle from Tunbridge Wells', or carry important makers by name. Look for something that stands out because it has a good design or picture and contrasting colour. Price is almost always dependent on the quality and intricacy of the decoration. Royal Tunbridge Wells remains a popular place to visit and retains much of its original charm and elegance, with several antique shops and dealers dedicated to the Tunbridge Ware collector and the furtherance of its popularity. Author: Phil Chave

antique

Antique Lamps
by: Mark Fynn
Antique Lamps have become very collectible over the past few years. Certain styles such as Art Deco and Victoriana have assisted this popularity along with certain makers such as Tiffany that will never go out of fashion.
Some of the most collectible lamps are oil and kerosene lamps. They can still look as beautiful and stylish today as they did 100 years ago when they were first manufactured. There is something romantic about these lamps when they are lit and show off their glow to perfection in even the most uninspiring rooms.

Be very careful when purchasing lamps with glass shades. This is the place where most of the damage is done. Slight burn marks are normal and should be accepted with any lamp with an age. Run your fingers around the rim of the shade very carefully and check for hairline cracks.

Be also very careful when purchasing supposed Antique Lamps due to the number of reproductions on the market. Where a certain area is very popular as it is with Antique Lamps then it is just a matter of time before the market is flooded with reproduction pieces

This does not mean that reproduction antique lamps are a bad thing. If you do have an original piece which has a slightly damaged shade it would be easy to replace this with a reproduction if it was for your own use and not for resale.

The only problems come when the reproduction lamps are passed on as originals either by unsuspecting sellers or by unscrupulous dealers. Check the lamps like you would any other antique. Look for normal wear and tear on the shade. Brass fittings would be worn away due to frequent use along with the base. Owners would often polish the lamps so this would also show on a genuine antique lamp. If you suspect anything regarding the lamps true age then don’t buy it

Antique watches generally refer to mechanical watches that were made more than fifty years ago or more. Antique watches are not very useful in keeping accurate track of time, and instead make good gifts or a nice piece of decoration.

The antique watch business is a multi-billion dollar business. However there are a lot of fakes out there so buying an antique watch requires careful research.

A Brief History of Time

Some knowledge of mechanical watches will help a lot in judging the approximate date of manufacture of the antique watch:

1500s Peter Henlein of Germany created the first pocket watch
1660s Christian Huygens invented the remontoire
1680s Repeating mechanism for bells and sounds patented
1700s Rubies used in watch movements
1750s Enamel used on watch dials
1760s Lever escapement invented
1800s First self winding watch invented
1840s First watch to have winding and setting through crown
1914 World War I popularizes the wristwatch
1914 First wristwatch with alarm
1926 First water proof wristwatch
1956 First watch to display day and date
1960 First watch to have scratch-proof dial

Sources of Antique Watch

Antique watches of many established companies are available such as Rolex, Omega, Universal Geneve, Angelus, Vacheron & Constantin, Seiko, Benrus, Breitling, Gruen, Zodiac, IWC, Movado, TAG Heuer, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Shakosha (Citizen watch company of Japan) Gallet, Wittnauer, Bulova etc. There are a lot of sources on the internet selling watches online. Good buys can be found at auctions and second hand markets but the authenticity of these antique watches are doubtful.

Maintenance of Antique Watch

Maintenance of an antique watch is very difficult. The parts are not easily available and antique watches cannot be repaired at all watch shops. So do make sure that the seller also guarantees their repair if the need arises. Most antique watch sellers also provide maintenance and care manuals for the antique watch. Be sure to follow the instructions.

Cost of Antique Watch

Antique watches are available anywhere between $300 to millions of dollars depending upon the make, the date of manufacture, the history of the watch and the jewels in the antique watch. The market price of the antique watch is determined by its snob appeal and social acceptance.

Antique watches make wonderful gifts and give the wearer a distinct and artistic look. Antique watches combine artistic appeal and nostalgic charm. However, antique watches are costly in general and need a lot of maintenance and care.