posted on January 30, 2011 03:55:58 PM new
Missionaries from Asia in the 1930s gave this heavy brass bowl (3" high x 2.75" in diameter) to my parents. I've taken photos two ways, of the mark on the bottom (still not sure how the letters should be oriented!).
(1) Can anyone tell me what the marks say? And what country it could be from?
(2) What use was it for? Incense?? Thanks in advance.
[ edited by roadsmith on Jan 30, 2011 03:57 PM ]
[ edited by roadsmith on Jan 30, 2011 03:58 PM ]
posted on January 30, 2011 04:41:39 PM new
Your third picture is upside down,
This is Chinese made in Ming dynasty,but?who knows?could be a repro,more likely a repro if given as a gift ,is it new when it was given?
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on January 30, 2011 09:38:51 PM new
There are little wear marks on the outside of the bowl. Are you saying it's not old because it has no patina???
I may be wrong about calling it brass. What else would it be? This thing was ALWAYS somewhere in my parents' house; when they'd both died, I cleared things out and brought it home with me, for old times' sake.
_____________________
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posted on January 31, 2011 06:25:50 AM new
This looks like an incense burner,where you put those long skinny incense sticks in the middle and placed it on table or altar with an ancestor picture or statutes of deities/heros and plate of fresh fruits.
Ming dynasty preceded Qing Dynasty,this piece is not made in Ming Dynasty,most people would not give used items as gifts,so it is probably made in 1930s .
The Chinese are hunting for their old treasures on Ebay,you may want to mention this is 1930 pre revolution or just show the marks and let them decide.
Good luck
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on January 31, 2011 01:34:04 PM new
I dont know if this is bronze or brass,brass is more common in China,as for keeping the incense sticks in place,yes,sand would work.
They are still using sand,if you are close to a Chinatown,or Chinese restaurants or drycleaners,they may have a small altar and a small incense burner with sand and a plate of tangerines.
The marks said Big Ming TSUEN DUC YEAR MADE,Ming is Ming dynasty,Tsuen Duc is the year .
The year will clue you which emperor ruled within the Ming Dynasty,pretty much the same as the Japanese ,right now they are Heisei since 1989.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on January 31, 2011 01:35:30 PM new
If you think this is authentic Ming dynasty antique,you can send it to Christie and they will look at it.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
[ edited by roadsmith on Jan 30, 2011 03:58 PM ]