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 Sugar tongs -Are these American or Oriental?
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| Author | Topic: Sugar tongs -Are these American or Oriental? |
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nutmegr Posts: 58 |
posted 10-23-2008 06:48 PM
  
Hello - I've never been able to identify the origin or maker of these tongs. The estate sale I bought them at had a great many oriental items, and these look Japanese to me. However, "sterling" is written in English so I'm not sure. I love the detail in these - in fact I didn't even realize the eyes of the birds are highlighted in gold until I looked through a loupe. I also like that they are asymmetrical, each side is different. Any ideas? -------------- IP: Logged |
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FredZ Posts: 1070 |
posted 10-23-2008 10:22 PM
No matter where they are from.... These is delightful and must be a pleasure to handle and use. I must say that I have never seen anything quite like them. These have brought a broad smile to my face and I must thank you greatly for showing these to us. Best, IP: Logged |
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nutmegr Posts: 58 |
posted 10-24-2008 12:34 PM
Thank you for your kind words Fred, they make me smile as well! Although they don't look it, they really are very comfortable to hold and use. I've had them for a long time and they've always been a puzzle to me, they seem fairly modern yet the detail is amazing. Thanks for taking the time to look at them! -------------- IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 10-25-2008 03:18 PM
My understanding is that there existed a small group of silversmiths who produced items in a mixed Japanese/Western style for tourists. Older dealers refered to this as 'Yokohama silver'. The results of mixing the styles are usually stunning. There is an iris motif tea set that appears somewhat regularly. And the geisha spoons, which are findable. My source for this were two dealers I knew who were quite elderly when I met them: Willard (?) and Garnet Krieps, House of Lucretia Ann. Thirty years ago, they had great grandchildren getting married. He had invented something that was essential to the WW1 effort and was able to retire in 1918. On a world cruise they discovered the Yokohama silver. I can remember them talking about it. Garnet continued doing shows until she was almost 100 years old. Lovely people, great old style dealers. IP: Logged |
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nutmegr Posts: 58 |
posted 10-27-2008 06:08 PM
Thank you Dale, both for your response to my question and for pointing me towards a whole new direction in my study of silver. I found (online) some lovely pieces by Arthur and Bond and by Samurai Shokai which seem to fall under your description of "Yokohama silver." The iris tea services are lovely (though I have to admit I found the geisha spoons to be a bit kitschy for me!) There was a A&B chatelaine that had some remarkably detailed little bobbles(?) hanging from it, which did remind me of the 3D bird on my tongs. Of course, I still have no idea if this is any relation to my tongs at all, as I didn't find any mark remotely similar - but that's OK, I'm enjoying the research! Thanks! (If anyone else is interested,a search for "yokohama" yielded some interesting information, I especially liked the business card for Arthur & Bond.) IP: Logged |
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Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 |
posted 10-27-2008 07:37 PM
Perhaps a little Japanese history background may help to explain the quality of this silver. Before the forceable opening of Japan by Admiral Perry and the American Navy in 1853 Japan had been a virtually isolated feudal state for three hundred years. It's culture had evolved to avoid the natural tendancy to violent inter- clan fighting which marred the pre shoganal state - particularly by turning the warrior and noble classes to aesthetic values rather than killing each other. Thus their rejection of non-functional ornament, the only items permitted to men being the ornament of functional objects - like swords etc. Which tamed both men and weapons . As a result the majority of fine metalworking was for the the samurai classes - mainly for weapons. After the inevitable civil war that followed Perry's opening of Japan, the samurai were forbidden to carry swords. Result - most of the skilled artisans turned their hand to making export objects, usually of the finest quality, if sometimes questionable taste. Well we were in Victorian times and the Japanese had to cater for Victorian taste! IP: Logged |
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nutmegr Posts: 58 |
posted 10-29-2008 12:27 PM
Thanks for your response, Clive. After reading your post, I realized that my husband's interest in Japanese swords (both their use and the objects themselves) and my own interest in silver have finally converged! I had him ask someone knowledgeable about Japanese metalwork in terms of swords if they were familiar with this mark. No luck so far, but at least it does give me another avenue of inquiry to pursue. (My husband is tickled that now I'm finally willing to look at these weapons and appreciate much of the workmanship shown. I never paid much attention before!) --------------- IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 10-29-2008 04:02 PM
Markings on silver sold to the tourist trade tend to be a bit erratic. My understanding is that markings were determined by the tarrif and quality standards of the tourist's own country. If there were high duties on sterling, the buyer had the option of unmarked items. If there were stringent rules regarding precious metals, the buyer could choose unmarked also. IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 10-30-2008 12:02 PM
Appreciation of metalwork in old Japanese swords is a far more subtle art than that of ordinary silver objects. In the old swords one must litterally spend a great many hours contemplating the nuances in the grain and patterns in the steel itself - which is frequently not something an unskilled person is able to see at first. While the overall shape of the sword and its fittings are what strikes most beginners as the interesting aspect, to the more advanced students and collectors of these swords it is the subtle patterns in the steel of the blade itself that is the real artwork and it is to this end they devote most of their time. I have just one of these myself - it is over 500 years old and I am always amazed at what its smith was able to accomplish with nothing but hand tools, a forge, and a lump of some raw iron ore that long ago. There are smiths today in Japan who try to make these, but I do not think they are able to reach the skill level that the ones of hundreds of years ago were able to achieve. IP: Logged |
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Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 |
posted 10-30-2008 06:07 PM
The curious thing is that the early swords, "koto", had, to my mind, the best grain - but polishing in that period was not sufficiently perfected that it could be appreciated! Only post 1600 polishing will bring out the grain and the "hamon" or "yakiba" of the tempering. On silver the Japanese had another feature - it, like most other metals was usually given a patina which totally altered its character, and alloyed for similar reasons. But my point on silver work is that the craftsman, arguably the finest decorative miniature metal workers ever, were used to fine casting and crafting. And were out of work and hungry! IP: Logged |
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