The specialists guide to Chinese antiques

September 4, 2011 7:03 am

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Traditional chinese houses - from the countryside into the city (with million dollar profits too)

Old houses in China's countryside are being dismantled and reassembled for the nation's new rich.

Very interesting article in the China daily talking about the resale market for Ming and Qing dynasty Chinese traditional homes which are disassembled, transported, repaired and then resold to restaurants, clubs or wealthy collectors.  Now this is an interesting topic which I could easily get lost in as it just touches on so many interesting elements from Hui Zhou architecture to Chinese antique restorations to wooden architectural carvings.

The article  is basically a slimmed down version of another Chinese language article floating around the net. Its not a bad article, though it leaves out some of the more interesting details like such as how the industry works.

For example, the middlemen buyers tend to be divided up amongst two categories: those with ample capital and those who as essentially un-financed. Essentially those who are “un-financed” will buy the house and resell it right away to recoup their investment at a 20 to 30% profit margin. “Financed sellers” are those who have enough spare capital to buy the house, undertake all the repair and restoration work and then resell it in restored form at a 40 to 50 % profit.

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The specialists guide to Chinese antiques

July 17, 2011 1:11 am

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Beautiful colors still remain on this brightly painted fo kan family shrine from Gansu used for ancestor worship

 

Been quite busy recently spreading time between Beijing, Guangdong and Hong Kong and thus have been a bit slow with blog updates.  Which is all the more reason why I enjoyed some free time hunting around of the back alleys of the antiques world with James from UK based Shimu Chinese Furniture (who by the way also a fan of Shanxi painted furniture and has a very nicely developing blog on Chinese antiques here worth a look).  Of course the “finds” are different each time and this particular visit turned up this amazing family Shrine from Gansu in western China.

Known as  ”fó kān” (佛龛) in Chinese (or sometime fo gui 佛柜), these are shrines of worship – essentially a family temple. In ancient times, Fo Kan were dug from rock much like niches or grottos as can still be seen today in many buddhist heritage sites.  Later stone, wood and other materials were used. Eventually Fo Kan evolved and began taking on architectural characteristics, modeling houses, official buildings and even palaces. In many ways they are very particular to each region, more so like architecture then furniture. This particular one is quite impressive and its owner would likely have had some level of material wealth judging by it size and grandeur.

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The specialists guide to Chinese antiques.

October 9, 2010 8:27 am

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Private Sale - Unique Beijing Hutong Shopping Experience

Please mark your calendars! Merci de marquer vos agendas !

La Maison Taupe will be opening its shopping doors once more for two days of carefully chosen selections of rare and unusual antiques, folk art, furniture, bags, accessories and children’s cashmere in the idyllic surroundings of a downtown courtyard house.  For two days only, enjoy a great opportunity to purchase gifts, treat yourself, or just to listen to expert Roger Schwendeman talk about Chinese antiques. We hope to see you on October 14th and 15th for another Hutong Shopping experience near the Lama Temple.

Dans le cadre idyllique d’une maison au coeur des hutongs,La Maison Taupe reouvre ses portes pour deux jours de courses d’antiquites, d’art populaire,de meubles et de cachemires pour enfants. Nous esperons vous y accueillir les 14 et 15 octobre pour une seconde experience << Hutong Shopping >> pres du Temple des Lamas.

Who / Qui :	Where / Ou :	When / Quand :
Susan Alberti Roger Schwendeman Mandarine Coco Shanghai Trio La Maison Taupe Shanghai Trio	606 Yonghe Villas, 22 Jianchang Lane off Guozijian Street, near Lama Temple Beijing, China (Map)	14 October @ 10am – 7pm (open for late night shopping!) 15 October @ 10am – 4pm

Further information available by email:  lamaisontaupe @ yahoo.com / roger  @  antique-chinese-furniture.com

Pour plus d’information, merci de me contacter par email: lamaisontaupe @ yahoo.com / roger  @  antique-chinese-furniture.com

606 Yonghe Villas, 22 Jianchang Lane off Guozijian Street, near Lama Temple Beijing, China

For directions call 13051440767

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The specialists guide to Chinese antiques.

August 8, 2010 8:15 am

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Antique, reproduction & solid wood furniture industry trends & outlook for 2010-2011

Chat with any “old school buyer” of Chinese antiques about the late eighties/early nineties and stories of 200 RMB rosewood tables and Ming dynasty porcelain for a few hundred RMB will bubble quickly to the surface. In recent times, this period might be considered the modern birth of the industry, with western buyers in Hong Kong at the forefront. Ten years later, Chinese mainland buyers have become the dominant force with Hong Kong playing backseat to Beijing, Ningbo and Zhongshan – all playing equally major roles in the industry. How times have since changed! The last three years however, have seen lighting fast changes within many of  China’s industries. And the  antiques/reproductions segment has in no means, escaped this. So what can we expect in the future?

Producers	Buyers
China Labor Shortages Rising labor cost in China Bargaining power Improve/Innovate/go under Domestic China market! New Opportunities! A Gradual Recovery	Money talks! Rising antique prices Things may cost a lot more. Quality & Design is improving Chinese buyers are paying record prices

For suppliers, factories and workshop

Labor Shortages:There has been much coverage in the media attesting to fact that, despite its 1.3 billion strong population, China is experiencing labor shortages in many industries/areas (particularly in the pearl river delta). In the furniture industry, the effect is evident in the average age of a carpenter with a glance inside any workshop revealing most are well into their 40ies. As many young people today have no desire to pursue a career perceived as dirty, backwards, low paid and labor intensive, expect this imbalance to continue.  Its no secret within these circles that each year it becomes increasingly difficult to find/employ skilled Chinese carpenters and within five to ten years this will become a major problem for the industry.

Higher labor costs: In 2007, the starting salary of a college graduate ( w/computer and language skills) working in a foreign company was equal to or exceeded that of a Chinese carpenter. Its important to realize that office staff are generally  individuals who live/work in the city, have college degrees, computer skills and likely foreign language skills as well. Yet by 2010, the monthly salary of  carpenter from the countryside, with a middle school or high school education living and working in the factory will exceed (in many cases be double or more) that of entry level office worker.  Therefore its no surprise the average monthly salary of a carpenter is a hot topic among workshops this year. Once treated as unskilled labor, carpenters and antique restorers are now essentially taking their rightful place as skilled craftsmen with compensation to match.

Diminished bargaining power: Chinese treat business as war and negotiating for a raise is no exception. Stories of the Nouveau riche coal miners snapping up high priced antiques,  car buyers paying for their buicks with cash, the international spectacles of the Beijing Olympics, twenty years of strong growth and even the local media’s heavy propaganda coverage of the “communist economic miracle” have given rise to a “sky’s the limit” mentality. This combined with massive social pressure to get rich have turned many workers into mercenaries. Despite the global economic crisis and subsequent slow recovery, workers continue to demand increases and stories of workers defecting to the factory down the road for a mere extra 50 RMB are very common. In China loyalty in not earned but rather purchased.

Improve/Innovate or go under :   In other words, all the things which should occur in a maturing market. Of course, this will also present both opportunities and challenges. Some general trends:

• Both Chinese and foreign customers have a multitude of choices and are gradually demanding better quality-better value for their money.
• Foreign customers particularly import buyers, reluctant to pay higher costs will need extra incentives or greater value added. In cases where customers are unwilling to pay more, producers may need to operate under thinner margins, provide better value for the money or seek out new customers.
• Price was once the dominant (only) factor. Good design has now become an additional buying factor.
• Its no secret (or shame in) that China wants to climb up the value chain. In practical terms, this means industries perceived as unskilled, labor intensive or resource heavy can expect no assistance from the government in the form of tax breaks, incentives or loose regulations.
• The Lacy Act: More paperwork for exporters who are sending product to the US. See here for more info.

Don’t ignore the domestic market:

Searches for “Chinese antique furniture” have decreased on Google since 2004, yet on Baidu (Google’s chinese language competitor) an equivalent Chinese language term has held steady and now after the economic crisis appears to be once again rising.

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The specialists guide to Chinese antiques.

August 3, 2010 3:22 am

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The ultimate comprehensive english/Chinese dictionary of chinese furniture vocabulary and terms

I have seen this list floating around on the internet (though I have no idea where it originally came from). Though some terms are region-specific, its nevertheless very comprehensive with over 450 different terms.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
朵云双螭纹	duǒ yún shuāng chī wén	Cloud surrounded by confronting dragons motif.

In order to make it a bit more user friendly I have a) added Hanyu pinyin pronunciations and b) reorganized the list itself according to specific categories. Trust me when I say this was no easy task! There are also links to pronunciation via the MDBG Chinese-English dictionary wordpress plugin. Though far from perfect, I hope this is a useful guide to anyone working with Chinese antique furniture. The list is broken down as follows:

Decorative Beading and Molding Patterns, Designs and Motifs Chinese Joinery Names And Types Lacquers, Inlays, and Wood Carving Names of Decorative Openings

Common Names of Chinese Furniture Hinges, Pulls and Metal Hardware Legs and Feet Descriptions Woods and Materials Other Specialized Terms and Words

Decorative Beading and Molding Names

Chinese	Pinyin	English
冰盘沿	bīng pán yán	Ice-plate edge. General term for allinward-sloping mouldings.
打洼	dǎ wā	Concave moulding; also called aomian or wamian.
灯草线	dēng cǎo xiàn	Beading, a rounded moulding.Dengcao
瓜棱线	guā léng xiàn	Melon-shaped moulding, a ridge-shaped moulding used on legs. (When the leg is seen in section, it resembles the section of a fluted melon.) It is often found on waistless square tables and round-corner cabinets. Also called
剑脊棱	jiàn jǐ léng	Sword-ridge moulding. Moulding which slopes downwards from a central ridge. Lu Ban jing (Lu Ban’s Classic) calls it jianjixian.
拦水线	lán shuǐ xiàn	Water-stopping moulding. High moulding around the edge of a table to prevent spilt water or wine from soiling the user’s clothes.
两柱香	liǎng zhù xiāng	Two-incense-stick beading. Double row of beading down the centre of the leg of a recessed-leg table.
劈料	pī liào	Split moulding. Convex moulding made from a single piece of wood which is usually divided evenly into two (also three or four in late Qing times) segments.
皮条线	pí tiáo xiàn	Leather-strip moulding. Moulding which is rather flat and broad.
皮条线加洼儿	pí tiáo xiàn jiā wā ér	Leather-strip moulding and beaded moulding with concave centre.
起边线	qǐ biān xiàn	Edge beading.
双混面压边线	shuāng hún miàn yā biānxiàn	Double convex moulding with flat edges.
甜瓜棱：	tián guā léng ：	Melon-shaped moulding. See瓜棱线.
洼面	wā miàn	Concave moulding; also aomian or dawa.
委角线	wěi jiǎo xiàn	Indented corner moulding.
线脚	xiàn jiǎo	Moulding. General term for all types of moulding.
弦(xian)纹	xián (xian)wén	String moulding, on round stools.
一炷香	yī zhù xiāng	One-incense-stick beading. Single row of beading down the centre of the leg of a recessed-leg table.
凹面	āo miàn	Concave moulding
亚边线	yà biān xiàn	Flat edges of a moulding.
拧麻花	níng má huā	Twisted rope pattern. Form of moulding resembling a fried dough twist; also called shengwen.
托腮	tuō sāi	Stepped apron moulding. Term used in the Qing Regulations and by craftsmen for a moulding between the waist and the apron, which may be in one with the apron or made from a separate piece of wood.

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The specialists guide to Chinese antiques.

July 19, 2010 7:45 am

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A quick look at some beautiful antique shanxi painted furniture in unrestored form

During a recent buying excursion, I stumbled across these beautiful lacquered / painted armoires, from Shanxi province in Northern China.  While not nearly as prized by Chinese buyers, who often prefer hardwoods like Hua li or Hong mu, the status of Shanxi painted furniture has nevertheless risen significantly over the years for its beauty and stunning colors and is a favorite of the noted Chinese collector Co La Ma.

Particularly interesting, is this close-up section of a door panel. Notice the change in color and patina which has occurred over the years? Once covered by a brass plate which was removed/lost within the last twenty or thirty years, (possibly during the great leap forward), the left side (where the colors are beautiful and subtle) has survived the years, protected by the brass or iron plate that would have originally been there. The colors on the right are faded and muted by comparison. The effect of daily life, pollution, coal dust and years of rough handling and exposure to the elements is clearly visible.

And yet, it remains beautiful. Known as “Bu Wen Qi” or “Da Qi,” the process used in this style of Chinese lacquering is both complex and unique. The first step would have involved covering the raw wood construction with a base layer of hemp, horsehair, straw or other fabric depending on the period in which it was made.  This allows for the wood frame construction to shift to some degree without damaging the rigid upper layer of hardened lacquer.  On older pieces this sometimes still visible in damaged areas and can be a good indicator of age.

The second step is the application of an even layer of gesso known as “ni zi, ” consisting of plaster mixed with pigs blood (which must be applied within a set period of time lest it spoil). This provides the base material and smooths any impurities or flaws in the wood, straw or fabric below. The third step is multiple coats of natural resin based lacquer, with vibrant red or “ink black” being the two most commonly used colors. Each coat of lacquer must be dried, and carefully wet sanded by hand with a very fine abrasive paper before receiving the next coat. The process is then repeated several times with even the most common pieces receiving at least five to seven coats, until the surface becomes smooth, glassy and mirror like. Finally in the forth step, an artist carefully hand paints motifs ranging from flowers and vases to city scenes to people.

Restoration of such pieces requires a extremely skilled craftsman in order to avoid further damage to the piece and to restore it to its former beauty.

Click here to continue on to our site and read the rest of this article…

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The specialists guide to Chinese antiques.

May 11, 2010 7:16 am

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Reduced prices - Sale of gorgeous antique walnut alter tables, armoire, benches from Gansu province.

One of ACF’s local “inside suppliers”  wishes to liquidate his existing stock of restored antique walnut furniture from Gansu at reduced prices, as he is now dealing only in un-restored antiques. As an “inside supplier” this restorer does not normally sell directly to overseas customers and instead local furniture factories buy from him to then resell in their own warehouse at a premium. As he is one of the few people who specializes primarily in walnut furniture from Gansu province (halfway between Beijing and Tibet), this is an very unusual and rare opportunity to see such a large volume of walnut pieces in one single location. Normally factories will only have a few such pieces (which they likely purchased from him).

While not as costly as rosewood or Huali, walnut furniture is generally more expensive them Elm, Pine or Poplar and are generally sold at a higher premium. Availability has dropped and prices for walnut furniture have risen significantly over the past few years. Walnut is a much harder wood, more durable and longer lasting with a rich deep copper or caramel brown color with a nice grain and wonderful texture. Restorers also tend to use better brass hardware for walnut as the two colors compliment each other. Mostly from Western Gansu, styles are often understated, well balanced and elegant in their own right.

A few other things to know about this lot:

• ALL these pieces are antique (there are no vintage or reproduction pieces in this batch).
• Quality is quite good and all pieces are restored and ready to ship.
• With a very few exceptions 90% of the pieces are walnut and from Gansu.
• Not all items are pictured here (there is at least a 40 foot container).
• He also has a few rare items that are not seen very often.
• Sizes and proportions are very practical and usable.
• The flash on the camera tends to give everything more contrast and more yellow (note this).

Larger photos of the complete lot can be seen online at this address:

http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=254

For price list/additional details email me at roger at antique-chinese-furniture.com

This cabinet is best made from veneers or kiln dried wood

This cabinet which is intended to appear antique must be made from 100% solid reclaimed wood

A “pickled finish” applied to both a veneer and solid wood. Can you tell the difference?

Wood frame construction with MDF panels

This cabinet is best made with composites like MDF

Floating panel construction

Stacks of “burlwood” veneer ready to be used in furniture making

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