Ming Dynasty Porcelain

Ming Dynasty Porcelain

Ming vases are well known internationally for their sophisticated design and simple, yet beautiful decorations. They originate from 15th century China, when the country was ruled by the powerful Ming dynasty and are made from the finest porcelain.

Ming Dynasty Porcelain

Ming porcelain is highly prized around the world and it is easily recognized as one of China’s symbols. During the Ming dynasty, ceramic technique evolved quickly and kilns were able to develop a more refined type of porcelain. During the reign IMG_4648_resizeof Xuande, one of the biggest innovations was the preparation of cobalt, the element that gives Ming vases the beautiful blue nuances. Enamelled decoration was also perfected during the reign of Emperor Chenghua.

Another technique that appeared during the Ming dynasty is known as cloisonné and was borrowed from the Near Est. This technique meant that the forms of a vase were first made from bronze or copper, thus creating compartments (cloisons in French) which were then filled with a mixture of glass paste and different oxides, like the cobalt we mentioned before. The metal oxides fusion with the porcelain material and create beautiful enamels that decorated Ming vases.

This was a complicated process that required several fillings as the enamel shrunk. But artisans quickly found a solution and they devised a hybrid of porcelain and cloisonné called Duh, after the place in which it was first created.

These innovations made Ming dynasty porcelain famous around the world as China started exporting these beautiful vases to other countries. Now, they are sought by collectors everywhere because of their beauty and value.


Ming Vases

Probably, the most famous Ming vases are those made from blue-and-white porcelain, a distinct style that flourished during the 15th and 16th centuries. The blue color was achieved by using cobalt oxide, a technique developed during this time period. The images can be drawn by hand, by stenciling or by transfer-printing.

IMG_0256_resizeBlue became a popular color in Ming dynasty art (and is still used by porcelain manufacturers in China and Japan) because at the time, it was the strongest color that could resist the high heat required to create porcelain.

Ming vases feature a blend of different cultures: Chinese, Islamic and later on, European. The vase patterns often borrow elements from other cultures and soon, Ming dynasty porcelain became famous all around the world. This caused a big boom in the Chinese porcelain industry as the demand for Chinese pottery greatly increased, especially because of Europeans who started collecting the beautiful Ming dynasty pottery.

Common patterns included lyrical verses, different sceneries and images of birds, animals, insects or plants.

But apart from the well known blue-and-white models, there are many other types of Ming vases just as beautiful.

IMG_3043_resizeBlanc de Chine, as the name suggests, is a white Ming porcelain that was and is still use to manufacture pottery. It was first made at Dehua in the Fujian province and shortly became very popular in Europe where it first copied at Meissen and from there in other parts of Europe too.

Blanc de Chine is famous among other types of Ming porcelain for its perfect blend of glaze and body, giving it a milk-like texture, from which its original name came: “ivory white” and “milk white”.

Ming dynasty art featured even more styles, but blue-and-white and blank de Chine are the best well known. A French classification puts Ming vases into different “families” according to their color patters. Ming Dynasty porcelain can be colored green, black, red and yellow.

Ming Dynasty Ceramics

Ming dynasty ceramics were developed mainly in the Southern part of the country in royal kilns. One of the best known provinces for its high-quality porcelain is Jingdezhen. Here, the materials required to make Chinese ceramics were abundant as the province was rich in petuntse (china stone) and kaolin (china clay) and the many forests provided much needed wood to keep the heat up.

Ming dynasty art was not oblivious to its neighbors, but instead borrowed important techniques and art motifs. The Islamic influences are notable in Ming ceramics as there are many Ming vases that feature Islamic-inspired images such as the Arabic script and lyrical verses. Blue-and-white Ming vases and the cloisonné enamelware techniques have also been influenced by Islamic art.

Ming Dynasty Pottery

Ming dynasty pottery features some of the most unique ceramic art in history. Highly praised, Ming vases, tea and wine cups as well as plates and other types of pottery developed during this amazing period: the 15th and 16th centuries.

Here are some of the most famous types of Chinese pottery:

Sancai or three-colors. This type of pottery ware was mainly used in ceremonial burial and featured three main colors: green, white and yellow. Although these are the best known patterns, the number of colors used is not always limited to three. These Ming vases and jars were decorated with flower motifs using turquoise, red and green colors. The lines were bolded to imitate the metal strips used in cloisonné.

14_resizeSincai originated in the North and were made from kaolins and fire clays, fired at lower temperature that contemporaneous ware. Some of the most used burial wares feature camels and horses and were cast in sections which were then connected using clay slip.

Chenghua pottery. Developed during the reign of Chenghua, this style of Ming dynasty porcelain was often used to decorate small wine cups with chicken motifs. These “chicken cups” as they were nicknamed were highly appreciated by Chinese scholars and later on, by collectors.

Wucai (Five-colors). Unlike the more modest Sincai style, Wucai wares are bold, vivid and colorful , and feature floral and intricate patterns. Images of fish and dragons often appear on these Ming vases. The use of red and orange shades is also notable.

Yixing Ware. A list of the most important Ming dynasty pottery could not be completed without a cup of tea, or better yet, without a teapot. As Chinese scholars developed a taste for tea, proper Ming pottery appeared to fill the need. Yixing wares do not feature colorful Ming dynasty art, but they are famous for their nice precise shape and simple designs.

Ming Dynasty Vase

A Ming dynasty vase is highly praised in today’s market. Purchasing an authentic one could cost from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Collectors everywhere compete with each other to get the best prices and most importantly, the best wares.

Because of the high demand for Ming dynasty porcelain, many industrial produced fakes started to appear. Those who sell fraudulent Ming vases rely on the poor knowledge of their victims and on the “attractive prices” they offer.

Knowing how to recognize a unique Ming dynasty vase is now an important skill that every collector must poses. A good understanding of Chinese culture along with a solid knowledge of technical details is needed in order to become an expert.

Those who do not have the time and the resources to devote years of their lives learning about Ming dynasty art and pottery, can follow some simple instructions that will help them distinguish a fake Ming vase from an authentic one:

  1. Translucent and not opaque. True Ming porcelain made in the 18th century has one important quality: it is translucent and not opaque. Many people forget about this important easy to verify property of Ming vases.
  2. Look at the motifs. Ming dynasty vases will usually have some specific motifs, meaning that on them, you can see certain patterns and images. A most common image is that of a dragon. Flowers and fish are also well known and used images.
  3. Study the mark on the vase. Ming dynasty porcelain was strictly controlled to ensure maximum quality. The best porcelain was reserved for the nobility and featured an “imperial mark”. The mark was the name of the Emperor during whose reign the Ming vase was manufactured and they were written using Chinese characters. If you see something like “made in China” on your “Ming vase”, it is probably a fake and not worth your money.

Noel_2005_Pékin_tombeaux_Ming_voie_des_âmes_resizeMing Dynasty Art

Ming dynasty art is responsible for most of the beautiful porcelain vases we have today. Although it is mainly known for the ceramics it decorated, Ming dynasty art was developed in other fields as well such as painting and architecture.

But of course, it excelled in ceramics. Ming dynasty art is easily recognized, even by outsiders and armatures, thanks to its repeated use of some unique motifs, such as the dragon and the lotus flower. The colors are also important. If someone sees a blue and white vase, he/she will instantly associate it with Chinese art.

Ming dynasty art can be defined by finesse. The patterns were carefully drawn on the porcelain, most often by hand. Major artists contributed to Ming ceramic artwork and before the European caught a taste for it, Ming porcelain was already famous among Chinese countrymen scholars, nobles and merchants who collected the wares themselves.

Ming dynasty art used mainly four colors and their shades to create beautiful drawings on porcelain: blue, green, red and white.

Ming Vase Price

Nothing is more beautiful than a Ming vase adorning your coffee table in your living room. If you want to buy a Ming vase or other type of Chinese ceramics, you have plenty of options. There are many markets that specialize in Ming porcelain. However, as we have already pointed before, you need to know some basics about Ming dynasty porcelain to distinguish a fake from a genuine vase.

Ming vase prices can vary greatly, but in most access you should expect to pay a few hundred dollars. One of the biggest online markets for Ming vases is on Ebay, where you can find many models put up for auction.

You can determine the price of a Ming vase by looking it at its mark and then searching for more information online. If you cannot recognize the symbols (which are written in Chinese), consult a web catalogue or visit your local library for one. Look through the pictures until you can identify your vase.

After you know what type of vase you have, research its history. See where and how many were made. A Ming vase price can be very high for older wares. If you have an original Ming vase, you can sell it for a few thousand dollars.

Buying a Ming vase online can be a bit risky as it is easier to pass something fake as real just by showing some photos. We do not want to discourage you, in case you see a great deal, but it is important to be cautious. Here are some simple guidelines for purchasing a Ming vase online:

    1. Ask for many pictures showing important details. You should be able to clearly see every inch of the Ming vase you want to buy. Ask the seller to provide detailed pictures of the vase’s mark. The picture should be high quality and not blurred.
  • Make sure you only buy things that you can easily return. See if the seller agrees to give you a refund in case you are not happy with the product. This will make shopping for antique Ming porcelain a lot safer as you will not lose money if you buy something fake.
  • Be well informed. Always know what to buy! The strongest advantage a collector has is his/her knowledge about the product. Make sure you visit different auction websites to read about the history of the vase you intend to buy. Also, you should spend time learning to recognize different patterns used in Ming dynasty art.



If you have decided to buy a Ming vase, being well informed is essential. And doing research about these beautiful vases is rewarding in itself as you will come across some of the most beautiful ceramics ever created. Ming vase prices will probably go up in the future as they become rarer, so if you have one at home, you may try to sell it or just keep it for your own pleasure.



Zhou Warring States Period

Zhou Warring States Period

The ancient Chinese history pictures the Zhou warring states period in the Zhou dynasty, which ruled in the 1046–256 BCE timelines. The Zhou dynasty comprised of two characterized periods that showed the battle of lordship: Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou (Spring and Autumn and Warring States). The warring states period is believed to have existed between 475 BCE and 221 BCE –before the Qin warring states legitimate victory.

Warring states period was defined by seven existing states or kingdoms which are: Qin, Zhao, Chu, Yan, Qui, Wei and Han. This means that out of the many states available during the start of the Zhou dynasty, it narrowed down to the seven major states that owned the warring states period. The Zhou dynasty involved a lot of warfare towards the end. The war was between these seven states which concluded in the year 256 BCE when Qin warring states victory was established.

Ancient Chinese timeline

The ancient Chinese timeline as drawn from the ancient Chinese history starts with the Xia dynasty (2100-1600 BCE), followed by the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE) and latter succeeded by the Zhou dynasty -which was split into the Western Zhou (1046-771 BCE) and the Eastern Zhou (771-256 BCE). The Eastern Zhou consisted of two periods of warfare known as the Spring and Autumn Period (770- 475 BCE) and the Warring States Period (475-221 BCE).

The dates might not be exact, but it is assumed that the Shang dynasty ruled for about 700 years while the Zhou dynasty ruled for 800 years. This can also mean that the dynasties existed in their infancy states, and what was recorded was based on the times when the dynasties were in power.

The timelines feature dynasties that ruled for more than 500 years that shaped the civilization and the cultures of modern China. Before the Xia dynasty was the Neolithic culture where people were uncivilized and exercised primitive mode of living-they were hunters, fishermen and millet farmers. These timelines reflect back to when china was a land inhabited by different cultures and later unified to form the Qin dynasty.

The ancient Chinese timeline was drawn from artifacts that contained writing and decoration marching the existence of dynasties. This period can be referred to as the china bronze age.

Zhou Ancient Chinese history

The Zhou warring states period was marked by feudalism- the social, economic, and political centralized and authority diffused between kinship states. It was the beginning of kingdoms and lordships. This period was marked by civilization which was evident by the improvement of the agricultural techniques and the modification of the Shang dynasty bronze workmanship. However, the centralization was not that effective due to uneven terrain.

The Zhou dynasty started with the Zhou state where the King Wen liaised with the surrounding chiefs and inhabitants to overthrow the barbaric authority of Shang dynasty. The result of the war formed the Zhou dynasty that started to stretch throughout china in form of kinships through marriages. The betrayal of the Shang people under the harsh rule of their King helped a lot in aiding the Zhou dynasty its victory –it provided more soldiers and support. The rule of the Zhou dynasty was termed as the longest in the ancient Chinese history.

The brothers to the emperor were given authority over reclaimed states and cities to enforce the Zhou rules and thus maintain the control of its people. The ruling authority was the kinship of the royal family and the favored generals were given authority through marriage, this trend established blood ties. The land under the Zhou dynasty was divided into regions (fiefs) and allocated to kin and local leaders who were supposed to be the head of the famers in each particular region. These relatives were lords of the different states which later grew into warring states.

The period of independence, when the fiefs neglected the rules of the court, and the weakening of kinship ties marked the fall of the dynasty towards the end. The shifting of the capital cities from Haojing near Xian in the west to Luoyi/ Luoyang in the east divided the Zhou dynasty. The purpose of the Zhou dynasty was to unify the whole of china but still this dynasty did not entirely accomplish this vision. The unity of cultures would later be accomplished and thus lead to the improvement of early civilization.

More political and social order was witnessed during the Western Zhou period as observed by Confucius. The Eastern Zhou period was marked by endless war with three states emerging to be powerful: Qin, Chu and Qi. Eventually, Qin overpowered all the states marking the end of the Zhou dynasty.

It is believed that during the first phase of Zhou dynasty goods were moved by gifts or tributes. The second phase was marked by trade of goods for money (development of bronze coins). Also, art and philosophy (Confucianism) flourished; it was marked with decorations and improved craftsmanship in the art of pottery, carving and designing (architecture). This second phase of the Zhou dynasty reorganized the previous civilization.

The communication system such as roads or canals and writing had developed. Painting and symbolism dominated decoration in art. Most of the vessels were used for rituals. Cities and towns were being built in these times only to shield the noble. The use of jade and ceramic carvings was practiced during the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Some of the inventions during this period consisted of crop rotation in the agricultural industry and cast iron in weaponry. Generally, the ancient Chinese history on these people shows that they majored a lot on bronze products.


Shang and Zhou dynasty

The Shang dynasty ruled to 1100BCE, and later the china Zhou dynasty took over from 1100 to 256 BCE. Most of the civilization started with the Shang and Zhou dynasty. These two dynasties showed a lot of improvement in agriculture and bronze workmanship. The use of decoration in pottery, equipment making, molds for castings and Jade carving were the skills present in these periods.

They also had an improved writing system. Most of the writing was done on the oracle bones and the bronze vessels which were used by the diviners in rituals. Both of their capital cities were situated in areas that were fertile for agricultural purpose; in the planes along the rivers (Yellow river).

During the Shang dynasty, the warriors used to fight in chariots. This trend was later replaced by warriors on foot- approaching the Eastern Zhou period.

There was a difference in class defined by who stayed inside the walls of a city. The noble family and friends used to have their houses made of bricks and stones. There other class was that of the merchants and the crafts men. Most of the art and lavish life was lest for the noble class. The lowest in this class were the peasants who worked for the lords. Since the land was owned by the nobles, the peasants worked as farmers for survival.

Their cultures were focused on appeasing gods, their religion was spread and towards the end there were philosophical beliefs introduces into the culture. They generally followed the Neolithic culture. It was during these two periods where the knowledge of astronomy yielded a 360 days year calendar with each month taking 30 days.

The barbaric and lavish selfless rule of the Shang dynasty led King Wen of the china Zhou family to form alliance with the chiefs and overthrow the last king of Shang, Shang Zhou. The Shang dynasty used administrative bureaucracy, while the Zhou dynasty used kinship ties in ruling the split land. Most of the civilization of the Zhou dynasty originated from the Shang dynasty, since they had effective technology when it came to agriculture and weaponry. Transportation and trade was made efficient by the improvement of roads and canal technology developed from the Shang dynasty.

It is true to say that the Shang and Zhou dynasty ruled a certain large part of china. The battle of Muye was the bridge for the reign of the Zhou dynasty. The Zhou believed that it was the Mandate of heaven to select the legitimate ruler of china whenever a king rules inappropriately. The 800 years rule of the Zhou dynasty was the longest in the ancient Chinese history- the Shang dynasty ruled for about 700 years.

Warring states

The warring states as mentioned earlier are the states that were known during the Warring states ancient Chinese timeline – the Eastern Zhou period. These seven and a few minor states (which were the first to be consumed) populated the Zhou dynasty. This period was marked by a rise in the development of military technology. The soldiers fought with individual weapons as compared to the chariot system of warfare during the spring and autumn period. All forms of weaponry and transportations for war were being improved to make it easy for the different states to take over the ownership of china. This period was marked by intellectual change which led to inventions.

The friction between the states formed one of the brutal periods of war during this dynasty. During this period, artists and leaders were chosen on the basis of skills and abilities-previously one was chosen from birth. It was the era of standardization where honor was given to the skilled and not kinship. This kind of motivation was practiced by the Qin that is why they gained a lot of support. The trade and high production of agriculture sustained these states to power. These seven states grew on the basis of absorbing other states by promises and visible progress. The philosopher Sun-Tzu lived during this period.

Qin defeated the other states starting with Han, then Zhao, after Zhao came Wei, followed by Chu, Yan and lastly Qi. This means that Qi was equally powerful to Qin according to their progress of elimination. As the Zhou dynasty ended in 256 BCE the states were still in war until 221 BCE when the Qin dynasty was established. The war was intense at the end of the Zhou dynasty since there was a need for unification; this meant that one of the seven states was to emerge the victor.

The win by Qin made the king of Quin, Yong Zheng or Qin Shi Huang the first emperor of china. His name was later changed to Qin Shi Huang-di, with “di” signifying emperor. The reforms made by Shang Yang which consisted of motivation, hard work, taxation and standardization were very effective. These reforms united the people with the lords and also strengthened the soldiers.

Qin warring states period success

Analyzing the Qin warring states period outcome, you will understand that this state had supreme policies and brutal laws which were designed to fully disable the rise of their enemies. The philosophy attained by Qin was effective by uniting the state and strengthening the soldiers. Their wisdom in army arrangement made it easy for them to win the brutal wars. The reforms designed by Shang Yang tuned the state to increasing food production and wealth. The reforms were initiated to touch on leadership, solider mobility and the relationship between the farmer and the authority.

For survival, the farmers had to produce a lot of food to sustain the army and the authority. While the ownership of the land was under the kinship lords in other states, the Qin state valued merit and skill. Due to the increase in intelligence, most of the skills required originality and cleverness hence the use of qualified personnel in different areas of the state structure. The rise of schools of thought promoted this mission which assisted in organizing the army and thus overpowering the others by wit.

In general, the organization of Qin warring states period land was controlled by the law codes and enforcements proposed by Shang Yang. The common reforms made were centralizing the authority (bureaucracy), standardization and economic management, improvement on weapons and equipment of war and harsh laws which became the brutal law codes of Qin. Socially, the families were reduced into basic units so that they would not create a nuclear family -reduction independent policies. They all had mutual responsibilities, this meant that, one error made by one person resulted to everyone suffering.

The Qin warring states period success was attributed by their effort in providing a wealthy and secure state. The courts of the warring states was their arms; Qin achieved the best states by inviting people to be part of the court thus increasing the wisdom and intelligence of its courts. The divide and concur rule was a great strategy used by Qin against its opponents. Qin victory defined most of the early revolution on military and civilization as recorded in the ancient Chinese history.






Antique Stores Online

Antique Stores Online

An antique store is defined as a retail store that sells antique goods. Antique stores can be located either in the local area and with the advent of the Internet found online. An online Antique shop can furthermore be located within an Antique shopping centre, where every Antique trader can open a shop and display their items for deal within the shopping centre.

It is a single location where you can access several varieties of antique goods. The value of these pieces may vary from reduced to extremely high and costly, depending on the nature and position of the shop. Antique stores online may specialize in some specific segment of the market such as antiques furnishings or jewellery, but numerous online stores supply a wide variety of inventory as well. Numerous items may in fact pass through multiple online antique dealers along the product string of links before reaching in a retail antique shop.

Before resolving on a specific antique online shop, potential customers may want to do some study on the enterprise practices of the shop in question, as well as it come back and exchange principle.

Finding a reputable online antique shop can be a bit threatening. This is especially true when large or costly buys are needed. When selecting an online antique store, read the clientele feedback in the remarks section of the retailer’s website to get an idea of how it does enterprise. Those who are involved in finding a reputable online antique shop should start by looking for one that provides comprehensive descriptions and pictures of the goods for sale. In addition, reputable antique stores online should supply customers with some information about the goods being sold.

Reputable online antique shops should furthermore be organized by its owners who can respond inquiries about their items. In addition to a description, reputable online antique shops will offer an image that apparently displays the status of the items in question. .

When dealing with antiques, it is very common that online stores won’t have any return policy, as the merchandise is expensive and the shipping prices as well.

Also because some people are trying to buy antiques and sell them, and if they fail, They seek to return the items back to the antique shops, which can result in some losses.

purchasing antiques through online stores is definitely more effective and befitting. You can just sit in front of your computer at your home and explore everything by surfing internet. You can choose the product that you desire and get it delivered to your door step. Antiques are the focused goods and there are several ways to purchase them.

Going to antique store is not the only option to purchase them. There are several reasons to say why it an ideal choice to purchase the antique goods online. One such main reason is you can browse through various websites that sell these products. If you physically visit the store, it will take lot of time to move from one store to another. If you go through antique stores online, you can visit multiple stores at a time. Now-a-days, there are several such antique stores online are available who are selling a wide range of antique goods. If you are looking for any particular product and you don’t find it in one store then you can swap to another to get it. Furthermore, it is definitely the best idea to purchase the antique products through online.

There will be many antique goods that you do not find them at the local store. Through online, you can even glimpse the products that are kept for sale in different nations. The real rare antiques website is an online antique shop where users can choose and bid the required antique products. It could be antique snuff bottles, antique opera items, antique tortoise shell and many antique items are available here. Several rare real antique goods are available and an affordable amount of discount is also offered. Currently this store is also running an auction program through the eBay online shopping website. With the online antique stores, you can find wide varieties of these goods ranging from most common pieces to that of rare antique. Some stores conduct auction program for those goods that are very rarely available. Choose the best antique product at real rare antiques website and bid at a very reasonable price.

Antique Chinese porcelain during the dynasties

Antique Chinese porcelain during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties

Late Ming Dynasty VaseAntique Chinese porcelain is art forms that have developed since the periods of dynasties. The first forms of porcelains were made about ten to eleven thousand years ago. Porcelain in the south china is made from molten rock that has quartz and mica content while in the northern china the use clay that has alumina and less mica. These Chinese porcelain range from construction materials for example bricks and tiles to hand built pottery vessels that are strengthened by strong fire in the kiln and bonfire. The antique Chinese porcelain that was made to look sophisticated was for the imperial courts. There are two types of Chinese porcelain which are classified according to the amount of temperature used to heat. The low fired porcelain are commonly known as tao. they are fired in temperatures between 950 and 1200.those that are heated in high temperatures are referred us ci and they are mostly heated at the temperatures of 1250 to 1200.in the earlier century they were molded using the hands but with the introduction of potter’s wheel in the Neolithic period the wheel was used in the modeling process to increase the uniformity of the vessels. Over time the vessels were improved by giving them new touch due to the improvement of technology. Examples of the vessels are the three colored ware and the qingci that gained favor in the court. The three colored ware was produced by the tang dynasty. It had the colors bright yellow, green and white hence the name. They not only resembled the bowels but also the camels. The qingci ware bluish-green and were characterized by there simple and elegant shapes. These porcelains were very popular in all dynasties and could be exported to other regions like southern Asia and Egypt.

Antique Chinese Porcelain in the Yuan Dynasty

Rare Antiques - Chinese Yuan dynasty vaseThe Yuan dynasty that was in existence between 1279 and 1368 baked the blue and white porcelain. During this period cizhou, Jun and longquan wares were highly supplied in the local market. The lingdezhen factory was still used in the production of wares. During this period there was the establishment of official fuliang porcelain bureau. The establishment happened in 1278AD. the main function of this bureau was to supervise and manage the production of porcelain in Jingdezhen for official use. The porcelain was baked in the high temperatures. These type of vessels were characterized by there purity of their kaolin clay bodies. The blue and white ware replaced the cizhou iron brown decoration. The dynasties the proceeded this one perfected the se blue and white wares that they came to represent the virtuosity of the Chinese potter. The dynasty the perfected mostly these type of porcelain was the Ming dynasty that produced the blue and white wares that were so superior to any other period. The Yuan court came up with policies to encourage the export of the porcelain to the oversea. The longquan celadon was most popular export as it could be seen in large quantity in the oversea. Also the numbers of kilns that were used for its production were many.Shufu wares were also exported. The jun wares were also popular export. The jun wares consisted of plates, bowels and a small number of jars, censers and vases.cizhou wares were mostly produced for domestic purposes. The main decoration for this ware was under glaze iron-painted black or brown painted motif.

Qing dynasty Development of Antique Chinese Porcelain

Antique Chinese Porcelain Vase Qing dynastyThe time of Qing dynasty that was in existence between 1644 to 1911 the porcelain were highly enriched by the innovation of the five colored wares. The production of this ware was being done at the jindezhen factory that was rebuilt by King Kangxi. The antique Chinese porcelain wares that were mostly produced were the bowls, dishes, incense burner and small vases with under glaze blue, over glaze enameled decorations. The wucai technique was used to decorate the wares. The improvement of these wares was seen during his reign.the potters could be seen using bright colors in plates and vases .the potters usually applied a variety of under-gaze pigments to schemes of flowers that were decorated. They also applied the colors to the landscapes  and figurative scenes .these forms of wares have gained a lot of popularity in the western countries. In majority of the museums found in the European countries you will find these wares that were popular during this period. The colors that were mostly used for decoration were blue, pink, red and yellow.the production of this porcelain declined towards the end of this dynasty due to political instability which affected the art.

The antique Chinese porcelain factory during the Ming dynasty that existed between 1368 and 1644 was located in Jingdezhen. The antique Chinese porcelain that was made to be used in the court was exquisitely and they were marked reign mark of the emperor himself. In addition to the monochrome wares and the blue and white porcelain the factory produced it also produced jihong, jiaohuang, wucia and doucai. These types of wares came to be produced due to the innovations in the period. These porcelains also held significantly the history of development of Ming dynasty porcelain. The dynasty also used to exports the wares to the outside world in huge amounts. During the reign of wanli the potters introduced kaolin which gave more whiteness to the vessels. This property was most sorts by the buyers of the vessels. This material also strengthened the vessel. In the production process the kaolin was mixed in equal proportion for effective result.

Antique Chinese porcelain has been admired by many people in the world. Many communities have been seen trying to copy these process when making the vessels. Many regions in the world have accepted this art and this could be seen from the large mount of these wares that the Chinese government in exporting.

To read more about antique Chinese Porcelain throughout the history and how to determine whether you have a real antique piece or not click here


The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta army was one of the famous known facts during the rule of Qin Dynasty. It was also called Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses and is defined as the collection of sculptures made of terracotta. These depicted the army of the first Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang. During the period of 210 BC to 209 BC, after the emperor was died, these sculptures were used as the funerary art and are buried along with the emperor. The main purpose of this terracotta army was to protect the emperor during his period of afterlife. These were considered as the most signification excavations of 20th century. It constituted the life size status of the soldiers varied in uniform, hairstyle and height depending on their rank. The weapons held by these sculptures were real and were crossbows, spears or swords. A large number of terracotta warriors and other artefacts were exhibited to the public in Barcelona in the year 2004, and it was their most thriving public showing ever. The figures were furthermore originally decorated with brilliant pigments, like pink, azure, red, green, white, black, brown and lilac.

As per the current estimates and the terracotta army facts, there are three pits containing this Terracotta Army out of which majority of them was buried near the mausoleum of then emperor Qin Shi Huang. On 29th March 1974, the Terracotta Army was discovered by a group of farmers to the east of Xian region in the province of Shaanxi. When the farmers were digging well for water and at about 1 mile east to the mound of Qin Shi Huang these were found. Exactly at a region called Mount Li, which is punctured with the underground water courses and springs. Other terracotta non-military figures were furthermore discovered in other pits and they include agents, acrobats, strongmen and musicians. Life dimensions terracotta figures of warriors and equines arranged in assault formations are the celebrity characteristics at the museum. In the year 1974, a group of peasants uncovered some pottery while cutting into for a well nearby the regal tomb which caught the attention of archaeologists.

In addition to the warriors, a whole man-made necropolis for the Emperor has furthermore been discovered around the mound of Qin, the first emperor. Men from the cavalry are clothed distinct than foot fighters. Some fighters don’t have armour and so they were supposed to be scouts or spies. They are the exact replicas of vigor and pomp. This latest breakthrough provoked Chinese archaeologists to enquire, and they unearthed the largest pottery figurine assembly ever found in ceramic. The fighters were even conceived with distinct clothing and armour. High levels of mercury are was found in the soil around the mound of Sima Qian. There were about four major pits with respect to the terracotta army which were buried under the depth of 7 meters. These four pits were observed at a distance of 1.5 kilometres to the east of the mound.  The armed detachment is placed as if to defend the tomb from the east, where all the states conquered by the Emperor Qin lay. Some convey inscriptions giving designated days of construct between 245 and 228 BC, showing they were actual tools for fighting utilised in warfare before their burials. A large number of pits may lie within or out-of-doors the partitions surrounding the tomb mound. An important component of the armed detachment is the chariot, and at that time four different types of chariots were found. In assault the battling chariots form in twos at the head of a unit of infantry.

Terracotta Army Facts

There were some facts related to this terracotta army termed as Terracotta Army Facts. Only a couple of foreign dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth II have been allowed to stroll through the pits to observe the armed detachment at close quarters. It was thought that most of the used weapons were robbed after the battle. Investigations display that eight face moulds were most expected utilised, and then clay was supplemented to provide one-by-one facial characteristics. The terracotta army figures were manufactured in workshops by government labourers and by localized craftsmen and the material utilised to make the terracotta warriors began on climb on Li. The head, arms, legs and torsos were conceived individually and then assembled. It is thought that the below ground tomb itself might hold much more treasure and artefacts unless it has been stolen.

After they were assembled, elaborate features such as facial signs were supplemented. As impressive as the soldiers are today, they were expected much more outstanding 2,000 years ago. This would make it an assembly line output, with specific components constructed and assembled after being discharged, as are against to crafting one solid part and subsequently firing it. In those times of tight imperial command, each workshop was required to inscribe its title on pieces produced to double-check quality command. The fighters were decorated to look even more very sensible and then enclosed with a lacquer finish. The tomb is most famous for its large lines of fighters, but there were plenty of other figurines to accompany Emperor Qin in the afterlife.



The Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty is the first and foremost majestic dynasty of China that ruled from 221 BC to 206 BC. It is also well-known as the first multi-national and a powerful unified state in the entire history of China. Earlier it is a small state located in the north western region. Later during the mid-thirty century, Qin dynasty captured all the small states located to its south and west. After conquering about six small states by the Qin state, the Qin Dynasty was established. This conquering was done by the then emperor Qin Shi Huang who became the founding emperor as well as the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. This Qin dynasty was originated by one of the many small feudal states called the state of Ch’in. The Ch’in was one of the least Sinicized of these small states and one of the most martial. The rulers imposed harsh policies with the intention to maintain and consolidate the power.

The name Qin is derived from the heartland of Qin, which in modern day mean Gansu and Shaanxi. During the mid and late third century BC, there was an accomplishment of swift conquests series lead to the eventual conquering of the rest six major states with which the total control over the entire China was gained. This conquering results in the formation of unified China. During 4th century BC, with the rule of Shang Yang there was a rapid and great increase in the strength of the Qin Dynasty. This happened during the period of Warring States. This sort of ruling lasted for about more than 500 years establishing a centralized and unified nation. Shaanxi Province was declared as the capital of the Qin Dynasty. Throughout its reign over China, the Qin Dynasty accomplished advanced trade, improved agriculture, and infantry protection.

The local variations in the culture were advised a symbol of the smaller categories. The aristocracy of the Qin Dynasty were mostly similar in their heritage and everyday life. This arose from the Zhou and was grabbed upon by the Qin rulers; as such variations were seen as opposing to the unification that the government strove to achieve. A lot of reforms such as weights, measures and currency were introduced during the rule of the Qin Dynasty.

These reforms were standardized along with a better writing system. A try to purge all finds of the old dynasties commanded to the entombing of scholars occurrence and infamous burning of publications, which has been criticized substantially by subsequent scholars. Apart from this, the military during this period was also a revolutionary. A set of effective measures were also taken especially during the rule of Yingzheng. All the latest, upgraded weapons, tactics and transportation techniques were used.

The central government now had direct command of the masses, giving it get access to a much bigger workforce. Towards the development of the nation, a lot of effort and contribution was made by him. Besides this, there was a high dissatisfaction towards him among the people as he was tyrannical and cruel to them. Hu Hai followed by Xiang Yu and Liu Bang succeeded the power after the death of Yingzheng. In the year 207 BC, the Qin Army was defeated by the army of Xiang Yu which lead to the end of rule of the Qin Dynasty.

There was the abolition of landowning lords, to whom peasants had previously held allegiance which permitted for the building of determined projects, such as a partition on the northern boundary, now renowned Great Wall of China. This occupied the strategic Wei River valley in the extreme north western area of the nation.

Qin Dynasty art

The Qin Dynasty rulers encouraged in building the unique arts during their short rule. In the year 1974, the excavations started which brought to existence over 6,000 life size terracotta figures from the huge armed detachment defending the tomb of then emperor Qin Shihuangdi. This excavation was considered as one of the most stunning archaeological discoveries in Mainland ceramic. In relation to the Qin dynasty art, there were mainly two facets. The foremost Qin Dynasty Art was the terracotta armed detachment which is very famous and a detachment of the tomb near Xianyang. This terracotta armed detachment is the most adored art products of ceramic, likely of the whole world. In the mid and late 3rd years BC, the Qin carried out a sequence of swift conquests, finally profiting control over the whole of ceramic and creating a unified ceramic.

The second facet of Qin Dynasty art is the change in composing and producing a new technology of calligraphy. Qin Shihuang, the first self-proclaimed Emperor was responsible for the initial building of what later a very famous and a part of World wonders the Great Wall of China, which he constructed along the northern border to defend his domain against the Mongols. Whereas the tomb chamber has not yet been unearthed, historical notes recount it as a microcosm of his realm, with constellations decorated on the ceiling and running rivers made of mercury. To protect Qin Shihuang from his death, The Terracotta armed detachment of more than 7,000 life-size tomb terracotta numbers of warriors and equines were formed.

As one of his most influential achievements in life, the then Prime minister Li Si normalized the writing system to be of consistent size and form over the entire country. The written dialect of the Qin was like a logographic. For about thousands of years, there is a unification impact on the Chinese culture. They furthermore credited with conceiving the method called the lesser-seal calligraphy. This technique served as a cornerstone for modern Chinese and is still used in cards, posters, and advertising. The normalization of the writing scheme made to be of uniform size and shape across the entire homeland, having a unification effect on the Chinese culture for thousands of years. The Qin Dynasty rulers also accomplished on increasing trade, military expansion and upgraded agriculture techniques.

Qin dynasty achievements

Some of the major Qin dynasty achievements were construction of roads and canals connecting the places around the palace. This idea of laying canals and roads made an easier journey and travel experience. This concept mainly helped the armies and military teams. A lot of standardization in terms of weights, measures, language, and money was made. For exchange of communication, resources and labour, the roads and post offices were built. A high level of freedom was permitted for all the individuals of the dynasty which is also one of the top Qin dynasty achievements. Most of the Chinese constructions were completed during 20 years of the Qin Dynasty rule. The first currency to be used across entire China was introduced during this period only. A powerful administration to govern and control currency was introduced to fasten the rise of domestic commerce in China and united China as one economic community.

Qin dynasty inventions                                    

The major inventions during the period of Qin Dynasty were crossbows. The crossbows were put into use during this rule. These are different from regular long bow and heavy. These are hard to reload but are more powerful. About 10,000 people in almost every battle used these crossbows. These crossbows are designed with a very complicated design and only the most accomplished mechanics could make them. They used the convoluted conceive so the enemy would not be adept to conceive them for themselves.

Ancient Chinese Antique Zhou warring state period 10 coins Dao B1They furthermore strengthened that tactic by making exceptional crossbow bolts. Many new improvements were also added to these crossbows. With all these advancements these were used to fire several projectiles on a single go. Things that were normalized were weight, written dialect, axles and money were also invented during the reign of Qin Dynasty. The things that were created throughout the Qin dynasty are streets, and the famous Great Wall of China. Another invention that was invented in ceramic throughout the Qin dynasty is the long partition it was built with anything components were most gladly at hand. Pebbles and gravel were used in the mountain regions, clay in the open flat lands, and levels of sand, pebbles. The dagger axe was another tool used during wars was one of their major inventions.

Although they were made previous than the Qin dynasty they were utilised the most throughout the Qin dynasty. Out of the two heads of the dagger axe, one would be a pointed blade and the second arm would be a spearhead or a bent cutting-edge. Jade dagger axes were utilised as well to act as a source of power and essence.

Between the end of 2nd years BC and the midst of the 3 years BC, the emperors of this of Ch’in state began to centralize state power, creating a rigid system of regulations that were applicable throughout the homeland and dividing the state into a series of commanders and prefectures ruled by agents nominated by the central government. With all such alterations and applies the power of the nation has increased.


Antique Chinese Pottery

Antique Chinese Pottery Overview

Individuals everywhere on the planet take joy and charm from gathering outdated Chinese ceramics. This is most probably due to the fine item and warmth discovered in the realm of stoneware. A huge determination of outdated Antique Chinese stoneware is accessible available today. For those in search of Antique Chinese pottery, porcelain, and ceramics manufactured hundreds and even many years prior, there are numerous decisions to add to any growth.

Recognizing outdated stoneware is a skill that could be studied by anybody with a real asset in ceramics gathering. Coming to be skillful at recognizing stoneware from such a long and charming history as China’s requires a level of skill, not needed with numerous different sorts of outdated gathering. It is dependably best to make a request for help from specialists like appraisers and merchants.


Figuring out the Authenticity of Antique Chinese Pottery

antique Chinese potteryThe cause of generally outdated Antique Chinese Pottery or blue and white porcelain is challenging to confirm. Unlike European white or blue porcelain, generally Chinese ceramics was not printed with the manufacturing plant of birthplace. Real pieces may not show the typical denote that might demonstrate now is the ideal time and area of root. Fortunately, the physical presence of the piece can go about as a suggestion.


Physical Appearance

A percentage of the vital attributes to break down when assessing a piece’s validness are: shape, figure, coat, cobalt, foot edge, and design. The parts matter. Particularities as unique brushstrokes in the painting of the piece are used to assign a true from a fake. An additional approach to charge a piece’s realness is a side-by-side correlation between a piece that has been established and one that has not.


Age Signs

Outdated antique Chinese stoneware is responsive and open to various ecological components. Frequently age could be evaluated from a piece’s available physical condition.


Marks and Identification

For the real gatherer or merchant, the support process starts with study of ceramics stamps. Consider ceramics checks as a timestamp for the period and the signature of the potter who made the piece. Since a great packet of the Antique Chinese pottery handled throughout the hundreds of years has no markings whatsoever, the genuine surrounding area of an imprint is one of the most ideal approaches to both date the piece and verify its genuineness. In the meantime, it is not compulsory to the determination of trueness.


Stamps on the bottom of a piece usually give generally reliable real qualified information. On account of blue and white porcelain made for rule, a set number of calligraphers were accused of setting the Imperial Seals on the pieces. Close review of the imprints for a particular calligrapher’s penmanship will give an in number evidence of trueness.

Antique Chinese earthenware markings ought to be utilized as a part of combination with different examination, for instance physical testing and survey by a judge. Imprints are the most widely recognized sign of birthplace, yet the translation of the imprints is to a great degree complex. Truth be told, the imprints may not be illustrative of the real time of production. Throughout a few lines, earthenware was related to signs of a prior rule. While the area of imprints makes the confirmation method simpler, they can’t be the sole, or even the essential, indicator of the piece’s origin.

Expert Appraisal

Meeting with an expert appraiser or merchant is greatly suggested soon after the buy (or bargain) of an object from olden times. Recognizing real earthenware pieces from duplicates is a muddled procedure. It includes an extraordinary arrangement of study and active experience. This is generally not conceivable for the easy gatherer.

The administrations of these experts incorporate evaluations, Certificates of Authenticity, consultation on beginning or developing an accumulation, administration of acquisition exercises, and arranging delivering and protection scope.

There are no alternate ways in this procedure. In the event that a piece’s validness is basically essential or an open value is to be paid, it is dependably best to take a step back to get the assumption of a master judge.

We offer Expert Identification Services,

If you are interested to learn whether a piece you have acquired is real antique Chinese pottery, click on the bottom to view our identification service.

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Tang Dynasty Art and Inventions


Tang Dynasty

Perhaps the most interesting history is the Chinese medieval history. Imagine a nation defined by different cultures, beliefs and vast enough with a huge populations languishing in war, excelling in trade and fighting to uphold unity and cultural purpose in all times.  The stories of dynasty after dynasty of China have been more than captivating, eluding a certain sense of bravery, loyalty and growth. Many historians have since tried to redefine the Chinese history, wondering how it was possible for a large nation and populated could achieve unification when there are so many nations in the world that have ceded from there motherland. The reason is what I assume found in the past growth and development of the country itself.  The Tang dynasty is one example that could provide the answer. Tang dynasty was preceded by a period of 300 years of war and territorial collapse, but the Sui dynasty came to forth to create the foundation for the Tang dynasty.  Tang dynasty reigned at time China saw one of the greatest growth periods marked by a much more dedicated and benevolent Emperors starting with Emperor Taizhong (627-650).  An increased economic expansion, increased diplomatic relations and cultural fluoresce that was based on cosmopolitan rule and life, the dynasty became a force to reckon in Asia.  Envoys from other great empires like the Roman Empire and Persian Empire, Korean Empire and Japanese Empire, even traders and specialists arrived at the capital city of the Tang Changan in great numbers.

The empire subdued the southern nomads and formed a peace agreement hence securing a safe trading route that helped foster its economic development. The empire also took a step and introduced official examinations which enabled learned officials without family connections to step into important positions in the government.  The social development led to great changes in the leadership of the country with old guards being replaced by young aristocrats and the recruitment of the southern people became an advantage also as it led to cultural growth and amalgamation. The Tang dynasty was also a period lauded with great introduction of art and sciences that formed the heart of Chinese history.

Antique Chinese Tang Dynasty Silver Pitcher

Tang dynasty art

In the eight century, art and literature were some the things that were much acclaimed.  The work of great artists and high level literature formed a basis that later artists used. This was at the time of the great brilliant monarch of the Emperor Xuanzong. This period was marked with incredible and classical art and literature of high standard, the standard is still being up held by poets and sculptors or painters.  One of the expressions that are much acclaimed in the period is the work of LI Bo; a poem that was an incredible work of art, Du Fu was also another poet who in every way reflected the flamboyant life of the court and the conflicts that existed during military campaigns.  Court painter Wu Daozi (710-60) was very active with his brushwork, and poet and painter Wang Wei (699-759), these two artists created a generation of great art and literature.  Music and opera were other artistic compliments were popular in this period; music was an extra ordinary endeavor that was popular in the most populous city in the world then, by the name Changan. Opera was also common and formed part of the most cultural events and celebrations in the empire.

Tang dynasty inventions

Even as the Tang dynasty faired in art and literature, the empire was not left behind in the field of science and inventions. The dynasty saw a number of great inventions that were significant in the development of the dynasty and other empires in the world.  The field of engineering was one field that had the best inventions so far. At the time an engineer by the name Yi Xing, discovered the first clockwork escapement mechanism, the brilliance of the clockwork was that it would count number of oscillations so as too keep time. Oscillations were used in keeping time.  The mechanism was a master art that it had a clepsydra connected to a water wheel that rotated the armillary sphere that would get the mechanically timed bell to be able to bang after every hour. Other engineering inventions at the time include a wine server, which had a hydraulic pump which drew wine from the metal faucet.

Medicine being the core field in medicine, there were great discoveries in the Tang Empire.  They were discoveries in the diabetes whereby there was a discovery that people who suffer diabetes have excessive sugar levels of urine.  Goiter discoveries were made during the era as new methods of treatment were identified.  More shockingly, thyroid gland as found in sheep and pigs are to treat goiters. Air condition was another discovery, as the then imperial palace was made to be cool with a device that was commonly called Tang Yulin believed to be a water powered fan. Indeed, in history of science, Tang dynasty can be compared with a few other dynasties. The discoveries in the field of science, art and literature, economic progress and good leadership formed the long term dynasty that lasted almost 300 years (618CE-907CE).


Antique Chinese Jade

Antique Chinese Jade

Jade artifacts used by nobles and lords during the emperors period in ancient Chinese history are the famous eyes, broad ears, and adorned with special markings believed to draw from an extraterrestrial civilization. These antique Chinese jades are stored and displayed in a virtual repository of antique Chinese jade assemblage comprising of more than 200 pieces spanning the ancient period through the Qing Dynasty. Most of these antique Chinese Jade artifacts are made of nephrite and are carved skillfully. Antique Chinese jade artifacts may be sold or purchased lawfully when the artifacts are not on the government’s wanted registers of stolen jade. Personal collections are permissible for selling even in Chinese territory. There are many auction houses there in China to present artifacts transaction for financial selling purposes. As a matter of detail, most of the artifacts in the museums are the bounties of conflict throughout the Qing dynasty.

Antique Chinese Jade

Chinese Antique - Han Dynasty Green Jade 2 figuresAntique Chinese Jades are worn by monarchs and nobles and after death put with them in the tomb. In the Ming and Qing periods, very old jade shapes and adorning patterns were often made a duplicate, thereby bringing the associations of the distant past to the Chinese people of subsequent times. As an outcome, the material became affiliated with royalty and high rank. It furthermore considered as a powerful in death, protecting the body from breakdown. But lately the rich Chinese have become very interested in jade afresh. These are highly treasured because they begin from the jade, broken out by the glacier, then after years of natural withstanding in the very quick flowing stream, these jade rocks are step-by-step ground smooth into pebbles, any flaws within these pebbles are shattered in this process, so that the remaining artifacts are only of the finest value. Gradually antique Chinese jade of high quality, has become more and more precious. But this initiated the Chinese to money in by making lots of new copies of earlier antique Chinese jade pieces and they carved diverse other ones in less precious stones, but called them as jade too.

Recognizing the factual antique Chinese jades

Many professional confirmed the essential control and respect of assessing antique Chinese jade artifacts on its own merits and not by its important title of its previous proprietor. Generally talking, the antique Chinese jade to be assembled should be those valuable items which are authentic and have fine workmanship. If the antique Chinese jade artifacts dealers or collectors are not expert sufficient, they may come by some fake jades. On the opposing, if you know how to identify jade yourself or if you have qualified professional examined before you purchase, you have identical chance to obtain authentic antique Chinese jades. In other phrases, location of buy is not the component to work out whether it is genuine or not.

One has to consider three rules to identify the antique Chinese jades such as their authenticity, identification of their metal composition and verification of their time period. Authenticity of antique Chinese jade artifacts may be verified through certain chemical and physical characteristics encompassing disintegrated pits, cleaving veins, diffusive markings, exposure crystals, deteriorations and a lesser crystal plane. Wrinkles are glimpsed on the traces of carving due to differential withstanding. Differential weathering is the distinction in degree of discoloration, disintegration, etc., of rocks of distinct types exposed to the identical natural environment. There are certain factors defined as the distinct deterioration of the surface of the finds of carving on jade artifact due to heat and humidity. To identify the time period to which a specific antique Chinese jade artifact may pertains, components including carving style, and designs of the object may also be considered. Diffusive markings are the phenomena initiated by the incremental penetration for exterior chemicals after the influence of heat and pressure conditions of the underground natural environment.

How to worth the antique Chinese jades?

antique Chinese JadeBefore purchasing or auctioning the antique Chinese jades, one should ensure that they know the worth of those artifacts. To know the value of these jade artifacts, there are certain factors to be taken into account. Some of them are considering the current condition and size of the artifact, identifying the quality of the work, knowing the value of the material. The grades of colors used, their flavor, market stability, artifact shape has to be considered for sure.

Antique Chinese jades have habitually been the material most highly valued by the Chinese, overhead shiny and gold. From very old times, this exceedingly tough translucent pebble has been worked into ornaments, ceremonial weapons and ritual things. Latest archaeological studies in numerous parts of ceramic have disclosed not only the antiquity of the skill of jade carving, but also the exceptional grades of development it achieved at a very early designated day. There is no decisive time border. Usually when the piece has age less than 100 years will be advised modern. The British repository assemblage includes artifacts from across the world. They comprise the people and places of the past two million years. Moreover, when electric driven tools start to be utilized, the carving styles will be rather distinct from those utilizing manual tools. In China, when open market scheme has been adopted, jade assemblage and forgery jades prevail in the past 20 years. Decorate your interiors with best antique Chinese jade artifacts by purchasing them at a reasonable price.

Burmese Amber

Burmese Amber

You’re probably familiar with the color amber. It ranges from translucent yellow to orange, and a favorite hue when it comes to several items of jewelry. But did you know that amber has more depth and definition? In fact, there are several types of amber out there, and one of them is Burmese amber.

Amber and Burmese Amber

Burmese AmberAmber is basically the fossilized sap of extinct trees that can be found in the temperate and subtropical forests some 60 million years ago. The hardened resin deposits of amber have been found all over the world, so don’t be surprised when you come across Baltic amber, which ranges from pale yellowish white to black, ruby red and sometimes purple Sicilian amber, and the even darker Romanian amber.

Burmese amber, on the other hand, is mostly deep red. It also happens to the rarest and most valuable amber known to man. Its high fluorescent quality adds to its appeal, making it one of the most sought after ambers in the world.

History of Burmese Amber

Burmese amber, also referred to as Burmite, is from the Hukawng Valley in the northern state of Kachin in Burma. Historical accounts say that Burmese amber made its way from the valley to the Roman Empire via the Silk Road in China as early as the first century AD.

Initially, the Europeans thought that burmite originated from China’s Yannan province, but that was clearly disproved once the British found conclusive proof during the latter part of 1800s that Burmese amber did originate from northern Burma.

These accounts make Burmite at least 100 million years old, so it has already been around during the time of the dinosaurs.

Characteristics of Burmese Amber

Burmese Amber Resin - UN16Burmese amber is known for its deep red or clear cherry red color. However, you will find that they also come in shades of sherry and even burnt orange. Depending on the angle of the light, they can also exhibit color variations. This is the highly fluorescent quality mentioned earlier in the article.

Mostly, Burmese amber is very clear. However, upon closer inspection, and when placed under magnification, you can often see swirls of color, albeit minute. These subtle dots and swirls of color add more depth to the material, especially when used for jewelry. It also complements the hand carvings and designs that the Chinese love to do on Burmese amber.

Compared to other ambers, burmite is also harder, which can be attributed to its older age.

Burmese Amber Today

The high polish and fluorescence of Burmese amber bring to it a decorative value that makes it a favorite among jewelry designers. In fact, it’s so beautiful that many have mistaken it for a gemstone when, in fact, it’s basically hard and translucent fossilized tree sap or resin. That’s why it has earned the classification of being an ‘organic gemstone’. The unique color of Burmese amber makes it the perfect ‘gemstone’ for a pendant of a necklace. The
Aside from jewelry, you will also find Burmese amber to be most commonly used as an encasement for other precious stones, insects, bugs, or other fossils. No small wonder there, really; their translucent and fluorescent quality is certainly perfect when it comes to showcasing fossils.

Rare Amber Resin - UN14

But did you know that amber also has healing properties? Amber, in general, is known to suck out any negative energy from the body, allowing any sickness or ailment to seep away. Its ability to clear the mind and body of stress is just the tip of the iceberg, since amber is also known to cure diseases such as rheumatism, headache, goiter, and disorders pertaining to the eyes, teeth, throat, and lungs. Rare Burmese amber is also noted for its uncanny ability to regulate digestive processes as well as bring a balance to your endocrine system.

All these reasons explain the high demand for Burmese amber. It’s also part of the reason why many fakes – mostly made of plastic – are proliferating in the market. It pays to be wary and careful when you are buying anything with Burmese amber or burmite in it.

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