Ancient Glass Pieces Found to Be Decorated with Gold Foil

84 pieces of antique broken glassware were found under a Buddhist statue in 2004, in Kyoto’s Byodoin temple. Two days ago, on October 7th, temple authorities announced that they had originally been decorated with gold foil. This discovery is the first finding of gold-foil decoration on glassware in all of East Asia.

A glassware history researcher and part-time instructor at Tokai University, Akiko Inoue, analyzed the pieces, and concluded that the vessels must have had a special significance.

The fact that “they were treated so importantly even though they were broken pieces suggests the original vessels they came from may have had some special meaning,” Inoue said.

Experts believe that the original glass vessels were made through glassblowing, though with a more advanced technique than some other glass balls found alongside them. Basing their theory on both technique and technology, researchers concluded that the pieces were made between the 10th and 12th century in China, while the gold foil was likely added in Japan.

Now on display at the Hosho Museum, the pieces still present several mysteries. Yoshitaka Aruga, a professor of the Tokyo University of the Arts, said the patterns are “simple and pictorial.” He added that the pattern on the lid looks like it could signify trickling rain. “The patterns let us imagine ancient times,” he said.

Norihiko Ogura, a professor at the same university, said the design can be seen as the inner core of a flower, as well. “There are probably meanings to the designs and the fact that gold was used, but these and many other things, including technical questions like how they applied the gold leaf, are still mysteries,” he said.

Antique Dealer Estate for Sale

One of the best known antiques dealers in Ireland recently passed away, leaving an enviable estate worth €5,836,08. Jill Cox operated the successful Beaufield Mews in south Dublin. More than 800 specialty items of hers were recently auctioned in Adam’s of St. Stephen’s Green.

Adam’s directors James O’Halloran and Stuart Cole both worked the marathon auction. As they told the Sunday Independent, “Jill was a very well-regarded and astute dealer who is perhaps best known as a specialist in Irish glass. This, however, only tells part of the story as she was equally enthusiastic about Irish silver, Staffordshire pottery figures, Irish furniture and Irish paintings and prints.”

The finest works at the auction included a Victorian Killarney-work Library Table that went for €8,500 and an Irish George IV yew wood cellarette that made €3,000. During the evening session the Irish paintings were put up for auction. Ena Douglas was the first to sell, making €6,600. A Daniel O’Neill’s painting “The Decision” made €26,000.

Celtic Antiques

Celtic art  is characterized by ornamentation and lacks the  symmetry and suse of straight lines and themes from nature, which are usually integral to the classical tradition.  Classical  antiquity focused on the Mediterranean Sea, and was crafted throughout Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome civilizations, a.k.a. the Greco-Roman World.   Celtic Art, however, is  is known for its complex symbolism and focuses on letters , plant forms, spirals, human figures and more. Currently on sale at Phoenix Ancient Art are a Celtic Bronze Head of a Bull and an Appliqué with Abstract Pattern.

New Discovery in Egypt

For antique dealers archeological finds are always of interest. These news stories are often of interest to many other  people as well, as they reveal a fascinating discovery from the past.

In recent news, archeologists in Egypt have unearthed 57 ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to around 2750 B.C. The find actually throws new light on Egypt’s ancient religions, according to Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.  Find out more about the recent discovery of these antiques.

New Face of Antiquities

Buying antiques today has certainly changed from years gone by. Many antique galleries used to be appointment-only galleries. Now, their premises are open to the public and welcoming to all.  Many galleries also publish beautiful catalogs and work to broaden their client base.

Interestingly, the sale of antiques over the internet has also blossomed. As one company said, “We just sold a $150,000 piece over the web. We never met. The buyer just wired the money, and we sent the piece. That’s it.”

Many antiquities dealers are seeing their businesses taking off more than ever before.

This is certainly good news for the antiquities field – and for hard working companies that want to publicize the important of antiquities.

Background to the Brussels Antiques Fair

The Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair recently concluded, and it was quite a successful event.  With its central location, in the heart of Brussels,  the fair had 130 exhibitors. This fair is a must-see in the antiques world as it allows dealers to display their exceptional works, while allowing visitors to see a vast selection of antiques all in one location.

Owning a Piece of History

Collecting and owning antiquities has always been an interest of people throughout history. Antiquities are appreciated for their beauty as art objects as well as their role as repositories of the cultures of the progenitors of western civilization. For this reason collecting antiquities is a growing interest, and if the number of objects can never get larger, as demand increases and supply is static, prices will rise. This fact makes investing in antiquities a pretty safe bet.

The Beauty and Value of Ancient Art

Ancient art is of twofold significance, as implied by the name. When an object is ancient its importance comes from the mere fact that it is an example of something that no longer exists, or something that teaches us about ITS culture or civilization. This is true even of objects that were not created as works of art but as artifacts, such as ancient tools or eating utensils.

But when an object is not only ancient, but is also considered an art object, either when it was created, such as a sculpture or paintings, or in the present day, such as coins or pottery, the object takes on a significance much more meaningful than the mere fact that the object is old.