Its shapes are various, such as round, square, rectangle, ellipse, hexagon, octagon, melon, plum blossom, begonia, etc ... In addition, while considering the firmness and aesthetics of the hand stove, craftsmen also designed the pot bottom into a flat shape, a concave shape, a milk bottom, a water chestnut bottom and so on. , and also made artistic design on the handle of the hand stove, such as exquisite decorative patterns. By depicting geometric patterns and auspicious patterns, people's love, hope, pursuit and auspiciousness for life are expressed. Such as Fu Lushou, Harmony with Two Immortals, Peace in Zhu Bao, Cheerfulness and Carp yue longmen. Exquisite carving and chiseling techniques. By using carving technology, hollow flowers and birds or auspicious patterns are carved on the furnace cover, and some figures, flowers and birds, landscapes and other decorations are carved on the furnace body, thus achieving the perfection of the artistic image of the hand furnace.
Collecting hand stoves can not only preserve and increase value, but also meet people's requirements for pursuing quality of life and spiritual taste. Hand stoves are generally not used as hand warmers now. Most collectors put them on antique shelves to enjoy. In addition, they can also be used to burn incense instead of chimneys as props for arranging flowers.
Handheld collection, like other collections, should pay attention to the collection of genuine products and fine products, especially the works of famous artists. The most famous craftsman is Zhang. He was a native of Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The hand stoves made by him are diverse, exquisite in craftsmanship and superior in performance, which are highly praised by people.
The handmade stove made by Zhang is uniform in thickness and exquisite in pattern. The whole stove doesn't need to be inlaid or welded. It's all knocked out by hand with a hammer. The carving on the stove cover is thin, but the heel is uneven. The lid is tightly covered, so it won't come loose even after long-term use. What is particularly surprising is that although the charcoal fire in the furnace burns vigorously, it is not hot to the touch, and the heat is the same as when the charcoal fire is not hot. In addition to Zhang, famous craftsmen who made hand stoves in Ming and Qing Dynasties included Wang Fengjiang, Zhou, Jiang Baoyun, Xu Shousu, Wang Ji, Pan Xiangfeng and Zhao Yida.
It is worth reminding that since ancient times, furnace makers have only been folk artists and their social status is very low. If it is not touted by literati, it will be buried in the dust of history forever. Therefore, collecting hand stoves should not only pay attention to celebrities, but also pay attention to physical objects.
Hand-made stoves, although the world is rich in varieties, are not renewable, and the total amount is only a fixed number. From the national point of view, its quantity is too limited, but more and more people like to collect hand stoves, forming an expanding demand market. As a result, there has been a situation in which limited hand stoves face the market with unlimited demand. It is this "scarcity is precious" factor that makes the price of hand stoves climb to the peak.
L before the song dynasty, there were no brass and white copper, only bronze and pure copper. Bronze is not suitable for hand stoves. Pure copper with zinc as the main element is brass, and nickel with white copper as the main element. It is difficult for us to know when yellow and white copper became solid, but it is clear that bronzes before the Song Dynasty, except bronze, were all pure copper. After the Qing dynasty, yellow and white copper prevailed, and brass was used later than white copper. You can see the foot of the hand stove when you identify it. If there is brass exposed, we can judge the articles in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. For example, red copper can be divided into two aspects, with a sense of simplicity and massiness, elegant and exquisite decoration, which can generally reach the Ming Dynasty; For example, it is light and exquisite, mostly hand stoves in the Qing Dynasty.
2. Rust color is the unique beauty of ancient bronzes, and it is also the focus of identifying hand stoves. Common rust colors are green rust, red rust, black rust and purple rust. The type and depth of rust color can not be used as the basis of authenticity, which is related to the geographical environment and the composition of copper. All fake rust, no matter what color, will fall off and be exposed when it is brushed with boiling water with alkali; If the glass rust is forged, it can be ironed with a soldering iron. The counterfeiter will smell of rosin and glue, but it will not change. If rust is forged with salt water and brine, you can lick it on your tongue. Everything with salty taste is forged. Moreover, the fake rust has different shades and cannot be integrated with the body. There is no slippery feeling when rubbing with your hands.
Hand stoves are basically made by hand, and most imitations are cast. We can distinguish it from the welding seam between the foot and the furnace body and the working mode of the mesh of the furnace cover.
The most important thing is that the pattern of the hand stove is carved by hand, also called "bronze carving". The strokes of entering copper are V-shaped, with a wide upper part and a sharp lower part, with occasional knife slip. Each painting has different shades (including small round chisels and dots), and the joint between the mouth and the plane is clean, flat and sharp. Fine paintings can be made into silk. In the middle and late Qing Dynasty, Chihuahua developed into an independent art, especially during Xianfeng and Tongzhi years, Chihuahua reached its peak in bronze ware. Therefore, exquisite handicrafts with full patterns are basically the products of this period.
Judging from the counterfeit hand stoves, it is very common to imitate famous people. We should not only pay attention to the form and font of brushwork, but also pay attention to the fineness of the process, especially whether the pattern of the furnace cover is fine and whether the brushwork is realistic. Its workmanship is not up to standard, so it must be a fake.
I hope it helps you.
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