Lacquer & Cinnabar

Lacquer has been used in Chinese Arts since about 200 BC. Lacquer come from the sap of a Lacquer tree (Native to Southern China). It is harvested much like Maple sap in the United States and Canada. Lacquer is an extremely tedious process. Many coats are needed to create a thickness that can be carved.

As many as 100 to 150 coats may be used on some pieces to achieve the desired thickness. Each layer must dry before the next can be applied. It takes up to 4 months to make a single piece. The most popular coloring used in Lacquer goods is called Cinnabar which is made from mercury. The name comes from its dark red color. Most of the workshops in China that made Cinnabar items have closed.

Jade, Jadeite, and New Jade

Jades are extremely hard stones (6.5 to 7.0). They were shaped and carved using ropes and bamboo with grains of sand. The piece was coated with sand which was rubbed back and forth with the rope or bamboo to slowly wear away the stone. A single piece could take months to produce.

Today, modern diamond tipped tools, drills, and grinders make the job much quicker. The art of Jade carving has been in existence in China since 3500 BC. The most famous Jade works were produced in Suzhou, which still produces some of the finest Jade and Stone carvings in the world. Nephrite Jade, that was used by the Chinese, came from East Turkistan. Throughout history, China has gained and lost control of that region which had greatly affected the supply and quality available to the craftsmen.

During the periods of low supply, smaller pieces were produced. Craftsmen were required to produce Snuff Bottles using very low quality Jade, much of which had off-color inclusions. These inclusions were frequently worked into the design of the piece. Many of these low-grade pieces are extremely valuable today.

Jade ranges in color from pure white to black and pale yellow to dark green. It has a very creamy appearance and has always been considered more valuable in Chinese society than any other substance. Jadeite is very similar to Jade in appearance, however it is a completely different substance. It is harder, more translucentand has a crystalline structure. Jadeite is found in all the colors of Jade, but also in shades of purple and blue. Most of the Jadeite used in China comes from Burma. New Jade and Serpentine Jade is basically anything that might pass for Jade...but isn't!!!