Cars Trucks

During the last few years a number of fellow Ebayers asked that I write something about selling and buying Asian porcelains on Ebay.

How do you tell a fake from an original? Is the most asked question.

Knowing this requires more space than you could possibly write here in less than a month. In my own library are no less than 400 books on just Chinese ceramics and most of them deal only with objects made since the Sung period. The volumes on Japanese porcelains are also numerous [I don't know how many]. So giving a good guide on how to tell the difference would only confuse and mislead. Plus piles of auction catalogs.

Explaining glazes, pastes, colors, shapes, the execution of marks and much more just isn’t possible without writing a few books and enough of them already exist.

So here are a few basic rules for spotting a fake listing right off the bat on Ebay and elsewhere.

Any Porcelains being sold on Ebay USA and are located in China i.e. Hong Kong, Shanghai etc. purporting to be Imperial, Ming, Sung, Tang, Jin, Yuan or just older than 120 years has a 99.9 percent chance of being a total Fake, period. This includes Buy It Now listings as well. Please don’t Email me telling me how you bought a pair of Qianlong mark and period 16 inch Famille Rose vases for $300 from a reputable dealer in China on Ebay, they are brand new, very convincing and enjoy them for what they are just decorations.

99 Percent of all porcelains on Ebay with Kangxi, Yung Cheng and Qianlong marks are late 19th C. or 20th C. and not of the period indicated by the mark. Or just ouright fakes.

Ebay is flooded with NEW.. brand new copies of Chinese Imprial porcelains being sold as originals, I can assure you they are not.

If a Chinese porcelain listing on Ebay or Ebay Live is for a Marked piece; for example having a Yung Cheng mark and does not clearly say Mark And Of The Period, its not period. Before bidding always ask if they are certain it is period and what the return policy is. Saying it has such and such a Mark means nothing.

A new twist has been recently started on Ebay and elsewhere, brand new pieces are being sold as Republic Period circa 1915. they often have Qianlong marks in particular and a mountain of fake late 19thC. mark and period examples are also turning up also. BE CAREFULL!!

For all Ebay Live auctions ALWAYS get a written condition report and ask for more photos. They rarely include them in the listings and the photo quality is often very limited and much too small.

If any listing doesn’t mention condition ASK before you bid.

Certificates of Authenticity, these are often mentioned in listings, they can be printed by anyone and are not worth ANYTHING, top dealers do not provide these.

A while ago a few dealers were listing very rare examples at absurdly low prices. The line being given was, they are trying to build a business on Ebay and are selling pieces at bargan prices to get to know people and to build a customer base. If you run across these listings, RUN for your life, no matter how good they look. I can assure you no one wants a customer so badly he would sell you a $350,000 bowl for $99.00 plus shipping.

Dealers in China know what this stuff is worth…trust me, THEY know, so the likelyhood of them selling inventory here at a discount is ZERO.

If a listing states that a Museum Appraised it…this is a lie. No reptable Museum EVER assigns values to objects. They are forbidden to do so.

Many of the Ebay Live auctions contain dozens of fakes as well, even from well known auction houses. Pay very close attention to what their listings don’t say.

Fakes are also being imported and listed here in the states, so watch out for them as well.

Note: Many fine quality Asian dealers DO buy fine quality porcelains off Ebay US and Europe to supply a rapidly growing market in China. If you want to have some fun, figure out who a few of them are and check what they are bidding on here in the States and in Europe. Several I know of sell repros and buy period pieces to sell in the Asian market.

After saying all this and you’re still serious about buying and collecting Asian ceramics, do your homework. The US is filled with fine Museums with amazing Asian collections. The MFA Boston, The Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA; The Metropolitan Museum, New York, The Cincinatti Art Museum and so on…The Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian has a fabulous collection and much of it is online.

Check localy for a Ceramics Club, subscribe to Arts of Asia or Orientations and make an effort to visit well known dealers whenever you can. To buy these you must handle them to learn them, nothing replaces touching. Visit Paragon Books and check out thier inventory of great books.

Good luck to you, Sincerely, Peter Combs, plcombs

FENG SHUI WEALTH CURES

The Art of Feng Shui involves the placement of sacred objects in relationship to our surroundings - in particular our home and business. In Asia, a Feng Shui Master will even be consulted by the Architect n the planning of the relationships of rooms, doorways and windows to themselves and the forces of nature. It is truly believed that the proper, or improper, positioning and association of all these elements will have a dramatic impact on your life. Here we offer the sacred objects with their meanings for your own Feng Shui collection.

Depite being an au courant fad, feng shui — pronounced “fung shway” — is nothing new to the Chinese. In fact, feng shui is a millennia-old practice.

The Chinese have long believed that if a home or business had a harmonious and positive flow of ch’i, which refers to cosmic breath or energy, those living and working there would benefit, thus enjoying health, happiness and prosperity. Palaces, farmhouses, temples and even entire cities were laid according to feng shui’s precepts.

BUDDHA of RICH REWARDS, or, HANDS UP BUDDHA - Known to encourage great wealth into your home. Stand him in your personal wealth sector of your home facing in, so that he is bringing in the wealth and not taking it out. The Buddha of Rich rewards stands holding a Gold Ingot in the air with both hands. This is a symbol of rich rewards coming your way. The bigger the ingot, the larger the rewards. To receive the full benefit from this splendid Budha, rub him tummy each day and make a wish for yourself and your family. Always place Buddhas in a High position. More Hands Up Buddhas

THREE LEGGED FROG WITH A COIN IN ITS MOUTH, or, MONEY FROG - Named Chachu will attract plenty of wealth into your home using three-legged Frogs with a coin in its mouth! This auspicious creature attracts good fortune into your home. Place the frog in any of the corners diagonally opposite you front door for best effect. At the very least, you should have one frog facing out to collect the money and one facing in to bring the money back into the house. You can also place him in view of your front door. Every morning turn him towards the exterior. Turn him towards the interior in the evening to prevent him from becoming exhausted, or, letting your money escape. Keep you frogs below the table, behind the couch or in other discreet areas of your home. I keep mine on top of my computer at night facing into the room and facing toward the window beside my computer during the day. See more Frogs

LAUGHING BUDDHA - The Laughing Buddha is well known symbol of happiness, wealth, kindness and innocent contented joy. It is believed that by rubbing his tummy each day, which is said to contain much wealth, will bring good luck and prosperity. Buddhas should never be placed on the floor as this is a sign of disrespect. All About Feng Shui recomends that you place your Buddha at least 4′ from the floor in an elevated position. Treat him with respect and he will reward you handsomely. Best direction for him to be placed is our personal wealth direction. Place a figurine of a laughing buddha in your living room and garden. The buddha is the most revered deity in the East. Choose an image of him laughing to attract happiness to your home. More Buddhas

ETCHED GLOBE - This beautiful etched crystal Globe rests on a crystal stand that the Globe can spin on. The most auspicious place for this etched Globe is in the Northeast direction of your home or office. If you sping the Globe gently three times every day before noon, it will help to encourage the circulation of positive chi’. Place the etched Globe on your desk and let it help clear your mind to gain new knowledge and to help you pass your academic exams. If you are in business, place this etched Globe on the Northeast side of your desk to encourage new business associates from around the world. Etched Globes

A globe should be displayed in your study or the children’s room too. It is believed to promote educational and academic pursuits. Globes are said to represent achievement of all you ambitions through academic pursuits. Professors, teachers, writers, and those involved in scholarly studies are highly advised to display it on their tables. The effects are double is the table is also part of their library or study. Feng Shui principles also denote that thos looking to further their studies should place the globe in the Northeast secctor of your home or study if possible. This alows the Chi’ in the area to be energized. promoting the educational and knowledge properties of the Northeast sector. Twirl the globe towards you three times a day before noon to enhance the luck of each day.

JADEITE ELEPHANTS - Will bring luck and good fortune to any home or office. Elephants

SAILING SHIPS FOR WEALTH - Enhance prosperity luck with a wealth ship sailing into your home or office. Returning home triumphant from its various conquests, the prosperity ship docks into you “harbor” bearing wonderful treasures and other valuables as trophies symbolizing its many victories. Display the wealth ship sailing into your house from your shen chi direction. Fill your ship with coins, ingots, crystals andother treasures to symbolize a wealth ship laden with money. Place metal ships in the northwest or wes, wooden ships in the each or southeast, crystal ships in the northeast or southwest. More Jade Ships

SMALL PIECE of JADE - Jade is considered a stone of good fortune in China and its green color symbolizes paper money in some countries. Place it on a kitchen window sill to attract wealth. Jade Pendants

CRYSTAL LOTUS - One of the most potent enhancers of good fortune and when appropriately activated, it becomes an even more powerful attractor of business and prosperity luck. Display this crystal lotus in the center of your store or in the heart of your home and you will fnd your wealth increasing through extra income, i.e. pay raise, bigger deals, more customers, etc. Place it in your office in the same manner and you will find yourself closing more deals as it can help you to clear obstacles so that you get the upper hand in business negotiations. Place your crystal lotus near a window that receives sunshine so that your room will be filled with cascades of rainbows that will bring positive energies and a feeling of tranquility to your home. If you are seeking a perfect partner, place a Crystal Lotus in your romance area to symbolize a perfect union. Lotus

THREE IMMORTALS, or, 3 WISE MEN - The 3 Wise Men of Ancient Chinese Lore were high officials of the Gods that bestowed Long Life, Prosperity and Happiness on the Emporers of the different Dynasties. Possession of the 3 Wise Men is supposed to bestow these gifts onto the owner. Lu Shin the Legend of rank and affluence seen holding a child, he symbolizes the opportunity for self-betterment. Fu Shinn the star Legend of happiness and wealth, he holds a symbol of wealth and is always in the centre of the three, while Lao Sau the Legend of Health and Longevity seen holding a peach, which blossoms every 3000 years symbolizing immortality. It is considered lucky to wed in the month of the peach tree flowers signifying long marriage. Fu Lu and Sau should be placed high on a sideboard over looking the dining table to bring the good fortune of always having enough good food to eat and for staying in good health. See all Wise Men…

DEER - To the Chinese, the deer is a very popular symbol associated with speed, endurance and a long life. The word for ??eer??in Chinese is lu, which sounds similar to another word that means good income and prosperity. It is thus extremely auspicious to have the image of the deer in your office and home. Display a figurine or painting of the deer in your workplace to symbolize the wish for the company to prosper and grow or place it in your home so that your family will enjoy a long life of ease and growing prosperity. See all Deer…

PIGS, or, BOAR - Very much like Babe, you’ll fall in love with these cute creatures. Highly recommended for that special person when you want to remind them just how cute YOU are. Your Pigs are made using the finest materials available to give you a piece of de resistance that will last a lifetime. They will look charming in the corner or on your desk. Place them in the display cabinet and watch guest admire the cutest items that they have probably ever seen. Culturally pigs are said to symbolize prosperity, being always fed and fat. The Chinese zodiac refers to them as being a sign of virility, Pigs are also believed to be an excellent gift for someone who may be taking an examination. As it forebodes that the person will pass with flying colors. See all Pigs…

DRAGON - The Dragon is deemed the luckiest and most sacred figure in Chinese folklore. It reputedly has absolute power and symbolizes honor, power and all that is right. Dragons enhance fame and career prospects and should be placed near a door or window in order to guard your wealth and health. They are a very powerful protection cure for your home or office.

There are few symbols that surpass the Chinese Dragon in popularity amongst those who use Feng Shui. The Dragon is said to create the precious cosmic Chi which brings good fortunes into our homes and workplaces. Displaying the dragon together with moving water is even more potent. Display such a water feature in the North for limitless success in your career, or in the Southeast for plenty of wealth luck.

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BE CAREFUL!

~ DON’T BE FOOLED BY SELLERS USING QUESTIONABLE SALES TACTICS ~

~ SOME SO-CALLED VINTAGE CHINA TEAPOTS OFFERED on EBAY are NOT AUTHENTIC VINTAGE PIECES ~

HOW TO IDENTIFY FAKE VINTAGE CHINA TEAPOTS

An important warning to buyers:

Sadly, there are numerous sellers on eBay who claim their items are something they are not. If you want FAKE Vintage China Teapots, you will find these items offered on eBay.

TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY FAKE VINTAGE ITEMS ON EBAY, HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT CLUES AND CHARACTERISTICS TO LOOK FOR:

~> Authentic Vintage Vessels have distinct artistic designs and subtle colors

~> Fake Vintage Pieces often have gaudy bright colors and rounded edges because they were created in Molds

===> Most of the sellers offering fake vintage teapots almost always include the word “VINTAGE” or “VICTORIAN” or “OLD” in their Titles and/or Descriptions - trying to fool you. These tactics are against eBay rules!

===> You will also see many of these sellers offering multiples of the item - the same vessel over and over - with the exact same photographs.

Be smart and check the seller’s present and previous listings.

If you see that he/she is offering the exact same item over and over and has sold the exact same item before - with the exact same photos - BEWARE!

Please note that multiples of the same piece will almost certainly be new/reproduction vessels - not old China!

A real Vintage China Teapot item is one of a kind - not mass produced!

===> Unfortunately, this practice of using misleading Titles shows that some sellers purposely choose to take advantage of buyers, by offering misrepresented items at prices that are, actually, too good to be true.

===> Did you ever notice that, and wonder why, so many of these questionable sellers are offering the exact same items over and over? These vessels are not authentic!

===> In discount and bargain shops all over the United States, you can find many of these fake Vintage items for prices starting at $5, or less. These mass-made, cheap, poor quality items are NOT authentic.

===> Unfortunately — You may even see fake vintage teapots advertised to the right of this warning. Be careful!

===

Be Careful — Don’t be duped by sellers who use highly questionable practices

CLOSELY EXAMINING AND HANDLING MANY PIECES WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY REAL VINTAGE ITEMS FROM FAKE ITEMS. EVENTUALLY YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE GREAT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM - EVEN IN PHOTOS.

PLEASE KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALSO AUTHENTIC VINTAGE CHINA ITEMS ON EBAY - AND HONEST SELLERS WHO OFFER REAL VINTAGE PIECES AT REALISTIC PRICES.

A KNOWLEDGEABLE BUYER IS A SMART BUYER

Copyright 2006 and 2007 The Winged Phoenix

Appraising the value of a jadeite jade jewelry or a jade carving is one of the most demanding task as there is no international grading system like the 4Cs of diamond. However, among the jade collectors and connoisseurs there are always some universal ’standards’ and benchmark whereby a jade piece can be evaluated on the basis of beauty and desirability. Though with a history as old as civilization the problems that there is no international grading system for jadeite jade can be attributed to the following:

1) Jade is more of an ‘Asian’ phenomenal originating in China about 5,000 years ago. Though there are a lot of collectors among Western people and other races the Chinese are still the predominant owners of jade;

2) Throughout the ages the Chinese are the hard working people who keep the trade to themselves and who are interested to make more money for themselves than to go into some non-profit area of research and development and breaking new frontiers of knowledge where jade is concerned. Unlike the Western counterparts where a lot of diamonds and gemstones research are supported by grants from universities, institutions and associations there are non among the Chinese fraternity though you can find a Chinese in every nook and corner of the earth. (No offence meant to Chinese as I am an immigrant Chinese too.)

3) No two pieces of jadeite jade are the same. Each piece of jadeite jade is a unique stone with varying translucency, color and texture. The color of two jade pieces cut from the same stone may differ even though their translucency and texture may be of almost the same quality. This makes evaluation difficult.

4) Translucency, color and texture cannot be measured scientifically on exact terms and to conduct an empirical study would involve few millions of combinations and the acquisition of many expensive samples. (Anyway who wants to conduct a study on low grade jade).

So the factors that determine the quality of a jadeite jade piece are TRANSLUCENCY, COLOR and TEXTURE which is not necessary of the same order. Evalucating a jade piece with these 3 factors must be taken as a whole. Of course, a highly priced jade would have excellent translucency, vivid color hue and extremely fine and compact grains.

Pic 1: Translucency though the light of a microscope. Pic 2: Vivid hue of green in a bangle. Pic 3 Very very fine compact grain in a rectangle peice of jade.

TRANSLUCENCY The more translucent a jade piece is the more valuable it is. For a top quality Imperial Jade the term used may be semi-transparent. Usually in translucenct jade there is still some minor clouds within the jade piece. Now do not be mistaken that a vivid color jadeite jade would mean that the translucency is being obscured by the color. A lively vivid color jadeite jade can still be very translucent. I have seen some black jadeite jade bangles (Yes black in color) which is very translucent though it is interspaced with some crystal clear colorless strips. Translucency also has great appeal to the eye as an object of beauty. Its luster is luminous, its surface well polished and there is a ’softness’ in the jade piece. The most valuable piece of translucent jade is called ‘glassy’, that is, it looks like clear glass. Following behind the glassy grade is the ‘icy’ grade. Then we have the translucent, semi-translucent and opaque. One also has to be careful when evaluating translucency. Given a big boulder with an open polished window and the crust intact how do you shine a light through to see whether it is translucent or not? The best way is to use a fiber optic light and touch it against the jade. The optic light should be able to penetrate the jade piece totally if it is a pendant of say 1/4 inche or if it is a thick slab or boulder with an open window the light should penetrate as deep as possible.

COLOR Color in a jadeite jade should be of a vivid hue, saturated, lively and vibrant. A totally colorless jade, if it is a bangle or a pendant, would be the most highly prized and its value is much higher than an old mine Imperial green or lavender. Of course this is the rarest. A vivid hue of fresh green or lavender is much desired as it will add ‘color’ to the wearer. The color within a highly prized jade should be evenly spread and not blotched with dark spots or whitish clouds. Often times a combination of bi or tri colors are preferred especially in carving pieces.

TEXTURE The texture is the composition of the grains within a jade piece. The more grainy a jade piece is the bigger the monoclinic crystals and it looks ‘dry’. The more compact the grain is the more it can take on a hard polish and the more luster will the jade be. Grains should be at least medium fine for a good piece of jade. The rule of the thumb is the more you can see the grain the less worth it is.

For the 3 factors there is no standard benchmark or text books to read on. One needs to acquire experience in the field, one needs to view a lot of jade pieces and one needs to be constantly updated on international auction houses like Sotheby or Christie’s in Hong Kong where it is the major jade trading center.

Thank you for reading this guide. If you find the guide useful please give me a Yes vote. I will write more guides on jade from time to time for the benefit of my valued customers and also the whole of community as a whole.

This is to update the Scratch Test mentioned in my previous guide, Bidding on Anceint Chinese Jades. In that guide, I had suggested the use of a sharp steak knife to perform the Scratch Test on jadeite or nephrite jade pieces in order to test their hardness. If they pass the Scratch Test, then more than likely they are real jades. Since then, I had learned more about the properties of both jades. Whilte it is still all right to perform the Scratch Test on jadeite pieces by drawing a line on the jade piece with a steak knife, it is better to avoid using this technique on all nephrite pieces due to the fact that many Chinese nephrite jade pieces are much softer and have hardness between 4.0 to 6.0 It will be better to use the blunt end of a pair of scissors, choose an area on the jade piece that is not visible, bottom or end of the piece, avoid any weathering surfaces because these are much softer and can be easily damaged, then gently press down and draw a line. If there is a white line left on the surface, make sure it is not metal residue from the scissor by gently wiping it off. If there is no visible line left, it is possible that the piece is made of nephrite. However, please bear in mind that no test is absolutely accurate. Therefore, if in doubt about any jade pieces, please consult a professional geolgist. Also, there are many authentic and ancient Chinese pieces that are made of other materials such as jasper, calcite, bowenite, soapstone, agate, crystal. Some of them are marvellous art works and their collecting values should be judged accordingly and should not be based soley on whether they are made of jade or not. I learned recently a piece of small Han dynasty pig pendent that was made of calcite was being autctioned on with a minimum bid of $500. The funny thing is the original owner of this piece actually discarded the piece after he found out that it was made of calcite instead of jade. The information posted in all my guides are my personal opinions only. I cannot be held responsible for any damages you may impose on your pieces. You should always use common senses before you perform any tests on your collectibles. If in doubt, ask the dealers questions before bidding, do not bid on any questionable pieces or if the dealer avoid answering your questions. Return pieces you are not satisfied immediately. Make sure the dealers have a return policy before you bid on the item and they do not charge you an arm and a leg for postage that is not refundable.