Tips On Antiques Collecting

Advertising Items

1. Watch out for modern soda pop advertising items. There are reproductions (close copies of original pieces) and "fantasy items" (brand new pieces with no old counterparts). Pepsi Cola items is especially abundant.
2. Collectors of advertising items always keep these points in mind: 
1. Subject (company); 
2. Rarity; 
3. Condition; 
4. Eye Appeal.

Artworks

1. A reverse-painted glass object, as the name implies, has the decoration sketched and dien pain tel. d in color on the back or inside. The most delicate examples are the tiny snuff bottles produced by the Chinese. Flat pictures were much easier to produce since the background design was sometimes stenciled on and then filled in with color. The Chinese did such painted pictures and, in the early 19th century, German artisans also produced such works, mainly as human por¬traits. Reverse-painted scenes were also quite often featured in the glass tablets above mirrors during the first half of the 19* century.
2. Currier & Ives prints are probably the most reproduced of any 19th century American lithographs. Read the inscription along the bottom edge with care. Many originals will have the date they were "Entered According to an Act of Congress," but some old ones are undated.
3. One test to help sort the originals from the copies is to use a 10X loupe and examine a small area. If you see tiny dashed lines, it is an original. If you see an overall design of tiny dots, it is a photographic copy. Also, if you can examine it out of the frame, you should be able to detect the watercolor paint on die surface. It will reflect light as it is turned at an angle.

Ceramics

1. Dogs are not the only old Staffordshire pottery pieces reproduced; other animals and even figural groups have been copied. Watch out for overall "crazing" of the glaze (early examples are seldom crazed). Also "firing holes" or vent holes on the bottom of originals are only about W diameter. Modern pieces have much larger holes.
2. The "Wedgwood" Wares Confusion. Most people see the name "Wedgwood" on a piece of ceramic and assume it is a product of the famous Josiah Wedgwood firm that was established around 1769 and is still operating today. Several other English potteries, however, used markings that appear similar. Keep in mind the Josiah Wedgwood pottery uses only the word "Wedgwood" to indicate the firm (note: no middle "e" in "Wedgwood").Confusing marks include "Wedgwood & Co." (1860 - ), "H.F. Wedgwood & Co. Ltd. (ca. 1954-9), and "J. Wedgwood," the mark of John Wedge Wood (1841-60).
3. Ironstone china is a dense, heavy earthenware pottery that was the everyday tableware of most Americans from the 1840s until around 1910. First invented in England in the early 19th century, huge quantities were exported to the United States. In the 1850s all-white wares with embossed designs were popular, but patterns were also decorated with many transfer-printed de¬signs in dark flow blue and, later, in lighter shades of blue, brown, green, etc. Copper luster trim and designs such as Tea Leaf were long popular as was the Moss Rose pattern. Much ironstone carries company trademarks that may include other terms for the ware such as "Stone China," "White Granite," "Granite Ware," "Opaque China," "Parisian Granite" and others.
4. Watch out for "fake" R.S. Prussia marks. The new green and red mark has been available on decal sheets for a number of years and can be applied to any unmarked china.
5. Ceramics Primer. A "ceramic" is any object made from clay and fired in a kiln. There are two categories of "Ceramics": pottery and porcelain. Pottery is usually heavier and denser than porcelain and can be made from several types of clay to produce redware (reddish ware), yellowware (pale yellow) and stoneware (dense grey body). These types were used for more common utilitarian items (crocks, bowls, jugs, etc.) A finer, whiter pottery clay produces earthenware used for better dinnerware and serving pieces. Most must be glazed to hold liquid. Porcelain is made with special clays, one clay composed of kaolin (china clay), one petun- tze (a fusible feldspathic rock). Porcelain is much finer and whiter than pottery and is also harder. Most pieces of porcelain will be translucent when held to a strong light. All pottery wares are opaque. The Chinese developed porcelain in the 13d1 century, and it was rare and expensive in the West. The formula was Anally "discovered" in Europe in the early IS01 century and first produced by the Meissen factory in Germany. Porcelain can be glazed to give it a glossy finish or left unglazed, creating bisque. One type of all-white bisque is called Parian Ware for its resemblance to Parian marble.
6. "Nippon" is the Japanese name for their country. When the U.S. Congress enacted the McKinley Tariff Act in 1891, all countries had to mark the country of origin on their exports to the United States. (Markings could be paper labels and weren't limited to printed or stamped marks.) Pieces of ceramic marked "Nippon" date between 1891 and 1921. In 1921 the law was revised and the words "Made in" had to be added to marks. Also, the Japanese had to drop the name "Nippon" and replace it with the English name "Japan."
7. Many people don't realize that the W. Goebel factory made fine porcelain wares, includ¬ing figural pieces, long before it introduced Hummel figurines in 1932. Watch for its printed or impressed early mark consisting of a crown over an entwined "W.G."

Clocks & Furniture

1. Don't be fooled by 20th century copies of 18th and early 19th century furniture. Early pieces will show hand craftsmanship with fine dovetailing, early tool marks and specific design features. More modern copies will generally not have dovetailing, will probably be made of thinner pieces of wood, and 20th century veneering is paper thin compared to early veneers, which can often be seen along drawer edges.
2. The "Morris chair" is named for William Morris, an English designer in Victorian England who invented the original version of this reclining armchair in about 1870.
3. "Mission" or "Mission Oak" are terms often used to describe the very simple, sturdy and angular furniture made during the peak of the American Arts & Crafts movement, ca. 1905-20. The name derives from the mistaken belief that it resembles the rare primitive furniture made for Cali¬fornia missions of the 17th through 19th centuries.
4. The "Eastlake" style of late Victorian furniture takes its name from English author and tastemaker Charles Locke Eastlake, whose book Hints on Household Taste (1868) exerted a great influence in the United States. In fact, he was horrified to find his name associated with the often inexpensive, mass-produced furniture made in this country and sold as "Eastlake."
5. Federal "fancy chairs" remained popular into the 1830s. In 1829 Lambert Hitchcock of Connecticut was the first man to start a factory to mass-produce such chairs. "Hitchcock" chairs could be shipped unassembled or ready to use, and eventually reached markets in far corners of the globe.

Glass

1. Direct reproductions, as well as "adaptations" of Victorian Art Glass, are the bane of many beginning collectors. Keep in mind that, in general, 20Ul century copies will be heavier and more crudely finished than the originals. Check the base for a pontil scar. The best early Art Glass had a polished pontil that left a smooth shallow circle.
2. Even though the colorful iridescent glass from the early 20th century has been called "carnival" for some fifty years, there is no evidence that pieces were ever given away as prizes at old-time carnivals or fairs.

Jewelry

1. Be on the alert. A great deal of brand-new reproduction Art Nouveau style jewelry is on the market today, especially pieces in silver. Antique clock prices are an important resource for any clocks collector, you will find antique clock price guides and information in my website.

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Understanding Antique Furniture Values

One common query that comes up when an antique collector, investor or a casual buyer who is comparing antique furniture values would be about the cost or worth of the item. Apparently, prices of antiques are given by means of ranges because there is just no way to determine an exact cost. If you are interested to set up your own collection of antiques, take the time to travel and look around for antique shops and auctions to get a better view on how negotiations are made before spending your money; it would for sure be a good head start once you are aware of the basics to ensure that you will be getting genuine pieces that are valuable.

In order to assist you in learning more in examining antiques and its costs, it would be beneficial to seek assistance from an accredited appraiser so that you will be provided with appropriate and necessary information regarding antique furniture values. Accredited or certified appraisers can be located by making an inquiry from the dealer; there is also an option to attend their events because that's one great way for them to educate collectors about the services they offer. Generally, antique furniture values vary from one another and it is best that you try to be familiar with what to look for. To avoid wasting your funds when you are engaged on antique hunting, here is a list of the values to observe:

• Insurance Value - is classified as a formal appraisal that is documented and this is also intended for the replacement cost in instances where the item would be reported as lost or stolen.
• Fair Market Value - would be a price both agreed by the buyer and seller. It is compulsory that the buyer and seller have enough knowledge regarding the items being sold.
• Tax or Estate Value - is calculated by means of achieving averages from the auction amount of similar pieces.
• Retail Value - would be the price of the antique that has been already posted by the sellers in shops or stores.

Without a doubt, antique hunting requires great deal of one's attention and strength. Once a collector is in search for authentic pieces, doing his or her own research before going to stores or auctions would be a very helpful aid specifically in understanding antique furniture values; careful observations and negotiations are just as essential before investing on any item. Try to consult an antique expert whenever possible because they can definitely elaborate further on seeing relevant evidences such as the material's manufacturer and the date it was manufactured, same thing goes if there have been alterations, damages or poor workmanship made towards the item that you want to purchase. Antiques can be a lifetime investment and it is good that there are people who are dedicated and passionate in preserving these ancient pieces as it tells a lot of things about the past; it allows everyone to dig deep about historical events and how these events remained significant over the years.

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Ceramic jewelry because “only”and by holding

With new ideas, new culture shock, new elements into the traditional ceramics. In recent years, a new cultural and creative – is the rapid development of ceramic jewelry. The emergence of ceramic jewelry, broken jewelry in China have remained in the original pearls, diamonds, crystal, metal, wood and other limitations of the main raw materials, ceramics, jewelry, or by modeling surprising or new look at the decorations on the show, creating a timeless meaning artistic image. Ceramic jewelry like gemstones, like jade, agate wins, the aesthetic development of the jewelry design a new vision to meet people of different personality aesthetic needs of a variety of modern jewelry. No doubt, ceramic jewelry has great market potential.

Application of ceramic materials in the jewelry is still small, but the characteristics of ceramic in its own to bring a new visual effects and texture. If the best performance out of rough pottery, the atmosphere, the effects of natural and simple; fine china and delicate porcelain, semi-transparent, pure, moist, shiny, “white as jade, bright as a mirror, as thin as paper, such as chime sound” is The four characteristics; purple clay has a “color is not brilliant, not greasy quality” features. Yixing Art biggest feature is the “quality, prime-shaped, plain, plain decoration,” not on the color, not glazing, but show a pure and honest, delicate, refined minimalist style is primitive. These attributes are unmatched by other materials.

First, the new and fashion
Ceramic jewelry making, and then have a strong exploratory and experimental features.Strange things people need to break into the market acceptance of fixed type. New generation of consumer groups, active thinking, passionate and full of fantasy, keep a novelty, difference of the state, easy to accept new things in the real world always have great interest in new things, willing to try new things . Reflected in consumer psychology and consumer behavior, manifested as the pursuit of novelty and fashion, the pursuit of beauty, like the spirit of the times on behalf of trends and commodity rich. In the consumer market, they are often the first buyers of new products, and consumer leaders.Ceramic jewelry to the market and is recognized by consumers the guidance they played a significant role.

Second, reflecting the cultural factors
Jewelry to ceramics, was also given a clear national identity and Chinese cultural values, portray the Chinese people’s psychological, spiritual and character development and change, along with the Chinese nation’s material and spiritual civilization forward, reflecting China nation’s cultural information and times. In addition, ceramic jewelry is no hazardous materials and environmental in nature. Ceramic jewelry consumers can feel good for human health is a “Green Jewelry” and it contains the human care.

If the selection of products on the generation of cheap and reliable standard is, then, this generation of consumers to pay more attention to quality of life, the standard selection of goods is more focused on the added value of goods and culture, to reflect the individual’s unique qualities and subjective feelings. Many international brands such as Nike’s brand spirit should be more prominent. ”Sports, performances, free and easy, free the spirit of the athletes,” so many of Nike consumers excited, frenzy. Ceramic jewelry has its own national soul and personality, have their own “green” image, which incorporates emotional and humane care of history, which itself is a spiritual, Chao Wuzhi, is the carrier of consumers and spiritual value system support.

Third, reflecting the emotional factors
Man and nature, human and social relations more complex, people experience their emotional relationship to the environment has become increasingly deepened, complex, people often are difficult to describe the emotional life. Produced by big factories seems the lack of uniform mechanical products, and changes in personality, so that people feel cold, lack of human touch. Attention to new manifestations of ceramic jewelry methods and new forms, showing the modern ideal, emotional personality psychology, consciousness flows on a variety of world and social cognitive and aesthetic value of art forms. Possess the clay and the nature of fire to bring people closer to come from the traditional memory, from which people feel like children and primitive simple, direct, frank and unfettered that its strong performance to go emotional impulse.

In real life, we need some “fun” of the products to decorate and enrich our lives, and in the form of entertaining fun and charm brought the release of life stress. Young people feeling rich, strong. Especially when intellectual and emotional factors into conflict, you always pay more attention to emotional factors. Reflected in consumer psychology and consumer behavior, consumer behavior of young people by the emotional and intuitive factors, greater intuition told them as long as the goods can be conveyed to more subjective feelings of the people themselves, will quickly make a purchase decision. In short, the activities of young people to buy more obvious emotional color, and its intensity is relatively large.

Fourth, outstanding personality and self-
As the spirit of modern art who advocate the independence of the internal character and external form of publicity, ceramic jewelry and traditional jewelry of a difference than is the external form of the inner unity of spirit and expression, focusing on creating original value of the individual and self- the value of experience. Extreme plasticity of ceramic materials have to give designers a vast creative space. Ceramic jewelry intentionally or unintentionally leave the surface of a variety of texture effects, need art ideas and performance skills, is a spirit of working with individual color results.

Modern minds of consumers often have a “me a” the “only” sense of hope that he is “different one.” Ceramic jewelry in the design, form a rich and rarely rigidly adhere to a form of repeated; in the creation, every hand; in style, a distinctive style, reflecting the independence of personality and self-awareness stamp. When the streets are stereotyped image, how to highlight in a crowd of modern consumers pay more attention to the problem. Ceramic jewelry in its own unique personality and able to meet their “sole” mentality, often can lead to consumer behavior.

In recent years, the field of jewelry design has undergone great changes, characterized mainly reflected in: Emphasis in the design of the concept of rejection of a status symbol, to promote the diversity of materials and non-precious metals exploration of unfamiliar areas, and strive to jewelry and wear complement each other’s body, advocates a concept to replace the form factor, emphasizing the experimental and the concept of jewelry, making the concept of personal artistic designers to play a leading role in the design. Ceramic jewelry design in the pursuit of beauty and artistic beauty of natural interest, engineering, arts integrated cross-display a unique personality and aesthetic different from the past. When the ceramic jewelry to the market, as long as it is characteristic of the times and reflect the values ??of consumers, fit people’s material and spiritual needs, is undoubtedly of great potential.

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Coral red flowers and birds painted Jin Kaiguang Wenqiufuping

Republic of China porcelain mainly refers to the 1911 to 1949, firing of the porcelain works. Republic of China, porcelain Fetus thicker, more kilns products, such as the comparison with ancient porcelain, differ greatly. Combined with the Fetus enamel is not close enough, often glazed enamel off the bubble and the phenomenon. Hair color dark blue blue and white porcelain, called Ocean Blue. Ocean Blue is the dynasty and continued into the late Republic, when most of the application of blue and white porcelain kilns ocean blue. Fine art gradually less, the increase in lightly. Watercolor is the late Guangxu a porcelain color, this color does not contain silty, with the color material is thin, vitreous enamel features. Production of ceramics for daily use such as kilns, cap tube, pots, bowls, cups, cans and so on. Decorative patterns are from the previous landscape, figure, floral, evolving into one side painting, writing poetry side decoration. Most of Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, Tianjin, Tangshan, and porcelain factory firing. It is noteworthy that the Republic of China, in addition to production of ceramics for daily use, but also appeared a large number of antique porcelain, antique porcelain of this period a wide range of quantity, not imitation ancient ceramic wares, as well as imitation of the early Republic of China porcelain late.

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Pastel Sheng tank of china pottery

Production process:

Pastels, according to historical records, pastels, have “started in Kangxi, Yongzheng skilled, flourished in the Qianlong,” said. Chen visit in the “Ceramic Art” in praise of its “unprecedented, and no latecomers, fresh Jiao brilliant, for his special often.”

Pastel color is based on the lessons in the ancient craft techniques and materials enamel, foreign exchange by the Jingdezhen porcelain enamel decoration, that is the glass material containing arsenic oxide doped lead-color material, resulting in emulsion, and make the material color powder into different shades of color, achieve “bright colors, pink Run soft, rich color gamut, gorgeous elegant” effect. Form or color meticulous painting, or Yi document impressionistic attention to poetic, words rhyme Indian interest, develop their performance skills of Chinese painting and artistic charm. Western European reputation as a “family of porcelain roses”, that only the noble rose to her rival.


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The Longquan Ware - One Gemstone of Chinese Art and Culture

Longquan porcelain were celadon manufactured at the countless kilns near Lungquan location in southwestern part of Zhejiang province, China. By the Song dynasty (960-1279), worksmen had proven the Longquan glazing's trademark lustrous , greenish colouring , a tradition which persisted through the YuanDynasty (1271-1368) and Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

Experienced experts have long appreciated the elegant slim shape and heavenly , bluish-green glazing of the Song dynasty Longquan kiln , and the increase-sized, solid and energetic Yuan dynasty wares . Our exhibition concentrates on the Ming dynasty Longquan wares : their usage in court, enjoyment by the noble , and completely unique role in tributary and trade relations between the empire and other nations.

Among the Ming Dynasty Longquan porcelain , those with polished , abundant , green glazing in yellow colored or milky tones earned the most attention . They generally in the neat shape and fully etched with intricate patterns, which were very similar to those of Jingdezhen official wares , clear signs of painstaking and unsurpassed artistry . Even so the significanceoftheMing Dynasty celadon was secret . Only lately did archaeologists locate the kilns site in Longquan's Dayao place with dated shards of styles uncovered . The breakthrough validated historical files recording Longquan kilns once as provider for and supervised by the early Ming Dynasty court. Following the mid-Ming period, Longquan porcelain worsened in quality; as glazes became translucent andthin , the chiselling became rough . On the other hand , the Longquan kilns continued to be an critical site beyond the Jingdezhen, providing wares for display in the residences.

Longquan wares were also an important commodities key to the Ming court's power over foreign business and tributary relations . Actually today, records of Ming dynasty Longquan wares often show up in archaeological sites and court collections in Asia, Africa, and Europe. They also influenced the establishment of numerous ceramics industries outside China. We can therefore conclude that Longquan celadon get a splendor that is widely regarded .

The color of celadon comes from natural iron oxide in the glaze , which delivers the green hue when fired in a reducing atmosphere kiln. By the 10th century , artists in Longquan County and the neighboring location of southwestern Zhejiang were already making celadon. The quality and quantity of Longquan celadon reached their zenith for the period of the Southern Song (1127-1279) and Yuan dynasties (1271-1368). The Song wares tremendously appreciated with simple forms and heavenly bluish-green glazes without crackle. However, Yuan wares are large, thick with dense greenish color and vigorous decor . In the past , the mugwort green of the Yue ware, the sky blue of the Ru ware, the olive green of the Yaozhou ware, and the pale bluish-green crackled glaze of the Song Guan-official ware have all liked famous reputations. In spite of these rivals , the Longquan wares have obtained great compliment due to their specific aesthetic.

When overseas envoys appeared in the Ming court to pay tribute, they obtained many merchandise as sorts of prize . This gave rise to the specific event of using politics associations of tribute and rewards to carry out world travel trade. Ceramics were among the most wanted items as a pay back .Somenationsstated that that they highly valued ceramics more than top quality silks. Some nations' envoys even traveled to the Longquan area in an effort to spend money on ceramic wares directly and resell them in other markets . Longquan wares have also been found among goods retrieved from submerged ships, further more showing their reputation during this period .Many nationsalso started to imitate the ceramic wares of the Longquan kiln, adding local attributes to ornament their industry's wares.

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Ancient Art of Yuan Dynasty Porcelain Pieces

Yuan Dynasty. (1279-1368),   Under glazed blue and white porcelain technique provided an ideal medium for a whole new range of Chinese decorative expressions often depicting the rich mythology and symbolism which were so much a part of Chinese life.

Yuan Dynasty is era of  basic technology of ceramic production had already been well developed. It was only in decorative styles and new materials that the potter found scope for further experimentation and innovation.

However, in contrast to the restrained classical taste of the Sung court, the new Mongolian rulers’ disinterested attitude in the arts provided a more liberal artistic environment which was conducive to creative experimentation and new directions in decorative styles.

Single most important ceramic development during the Yuan period was the successful use of imported cobalt blue for painting under a clear glaze to produce blue-and-white porcelain.

Underglazed copper red was also used, often in conjunction with underglaze cobalt blue decoration.

Ancient Art of Yuan Dynasty Porcelain Pieces
BOWL, decorated outside with a freely drawn chrysanthemum scroll and inside with a flaming pearl. Base unglazed.  Diameter 11.75 cms. Yuan Dynasty, early 14th century.

DOUBLE GOURD EWER, decorated outside with chrysanthemum scrolls, spout and handle lightly painted. key fret pattern round the neck. Base unglazed. Height 14 cms. Yuan Dynasty, early Nth century.

STEM CUP, painted outside with a simple decoration of symbols between a double band.  Height 8.5 cms. Yuan Dynasty, early 14th century.

JARLET, the inside unglazed, painted outside with a freely drawn chrysanthemum scroll, key fret pattern on the shoulder. Height 5 cms. Yuan Dynasty, early 14th century.

DRUM SHAPED POT, without lid, painted outside with -   a chrysanthemum scroll between a double band of moulded beading. Base and liprim unglazed. Height 7 cms. Yuan Dynasty, early 14th century.

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Blue White Bottle Vase 18th Century Qing Dynasty Chien Lung

After the reign of Ch’ien Lung, China entered into a period of political and economic uncertainty with increasing foreign intervention and domestic upheaval. This turbulent period saw a gradual decline in the quality of Chinese porcelain produced.

Qing Dynasty Chien Lung Blue and White Bottle Vase 18th Century

In fact, the kilns at Ching-te-Chen were destroyed by the Tai Ping rebels in 1853 and were not rebuilt until 1864. Nevertheless, throughout the later Ch’ing period, Chinese blue-and-white continued to serve as the basic utilitarian ware for everyday use among the countries of Southeast Asia and substantial quantities were exported, some of which were specially decorated to suit the tastes of specific markets such as Thailand and Vietnam.

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