posted on October 15, 2003 06:04:59 PM new
Well, here are the fotos. I don't think my digital camera was such a big help on the mark. If I want to sell these things, I think I am going to have to dig out my regular camera to take the fotos of the marks
On the bottom of each one, it says Bambo Okinaka and some Japanese{?} writing. Whatcha all think? any comments are greatly appreciated (Of course, you all knew that anyway!!
posted on October 15, 2003 09:39:29 PM new
I think they are bamboo. Very light weight. It could be lacquer. I saw one open auction on ebay searching for bambo okinawa. Their auction says that theirs is from the japanese occupation. Could it be?
posted on October 16, 2003 11:50:56 PM new
Hi
Back in the '70's when I was dragged on my mom's Pan-Asian shopping sprees I began to black out at the tour of the taiwan porcelain factories...but I digress.
If the lobster has some dimension, layers to make the actual figure on the plate, it could be the real deal laquerware. My mom has some of this, not sea fauna, but flora, it's nice.
The vases I can not really say, they are similar to some my mom may have had, but that stuff was a dime a dozen off base in the shops.
J
~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~
All the monkeys aren't in the zoo,
Every day you meet quite a few,
So you see it's all up to you.
You can be better than you are,
You could be swingin' on a star
posted on October 17, 2003 04:40:17 PM new
If it's light, and raised then it's lacquer.
I like the bowl better than the vases. the pagodas and hills is a typical chinese nostalgia design. They were probably banged out for the tourist trade, figuring those crazy American soldiers didn't know any different anyways- the bowl might be a little more valuable because it's a design that a Japanese artist would have done for his own countrymen.
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
posted on October 17, 2003 11:16:40 PM new
oh boy, you mean this bowl is valuable? How valuable? I think I really screwed up. Remember when I first described these and I said I washed them because they were greasy and really dirty?!! Well, the bowl isnt shiny. Can I shine 'em up some how??? Or are they just not shiny? How do I clean them???? I dont know if it ever was. AND here is the kicker. I carefully put it on the counter and it fell off and hit the floor. Now the big shrimp bowl has a nice ding on the rim. Should I just toss it out? What an idiot I am.
posted on October 18, 2003 07:24:30 AM new
If it's lacquer then it should be shiney. You shouldn't clean lacquer with anything other than a soft cloth (I use a jewelry cloth). They weren't meant to be used to eat off of, etc. More likely than not, the material beneath is wood which you know can be damaged by water. It is easily cracked and chipped as you, unfortunately, have found out. I don't think it was very valuable to begin with so I wouldn't be too upset with yourself. Most likely it was made for the export market or as just a decorative piece in a Japanese home. I wouldn't throw it away, but the ding has decreased its value as has washing it in water. Nevertheless, I would list it. There are collectors out there that could perhaps restore it.
I took this pic from my own collection so that you could see how shiny the item should be. Unfortunately, you can see where the MOP was cracked simply by placing another object on top of it. On the fortunate side, I'm not the one who cracked it. Just goes to prove that sometimes cleaning an item yourself isn't always a good idea.
Cheryl
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Oct 18, 2003 07:41 AM ]
posted on October 18, 2003 10:09:13 AM new
oh, waah!
water damages the laquer, makes it cloudy. You can use a paste of fine ashes, like Cigarette ashes, mixed with a little mineral oil, dab a piece of cloth into that and rub the surface gently, until your arm falls off. But be super-careful around the shrimp! Use a q-tip, and leave the shrimp dull, rather than risking rubbing the layers away.
I would post it AS IS and blame someone else for washing it *grin*
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
You can use a paste of fine ashes, like Cigarette ashes, mixed with a little mineral oil, dab a piece of cloth into that and rub the surface gently, until your arm falls off. But be super-careful around the shrimp! Use a q-tip, and leave the shrimp dull, rather than risking rubbing the layers away.