Posted By: Tim
Posted Date: Dec 04, 2015 (09:52 AM)
Scott,
Some good info - thanks!
I saw in some other jade posts references to the Friends of Jade website. There were some interesting articles there, too, including an article on fakes.
http://www.friendsofjade.org/current-article/2004/12/1/copies-of-neolithic-jades-of-the-liangzhu-culture-zhejiang-china.html
I've attached a photo from the article of the workshop responsible for the mass production of museum quality fakes, and as can be seen, they use a drill press to bore out the circular hole in the congs.
Such a process would result in a perfectly round hole and the hole would be at a perfect 90 degree angle to the base (provided the exterior of the cong was also cut perfectly square).
Earlier I mentioned that the hole in my cong was not only miis-aligned in the middle, but also not perfectly round, and not cut at a perfect 90 degree angle.
Based upon the photos of the modern workshop, it seems improbable that this could be accomplished with a drill press.
The fakes also seem to emulate the style and stone types of famous museum examples. Mine differs in that it is a style and stone color that does not seem to appear in a museum, nor seem to be in high demand by collectors.
Nevertheless, the best that I can hope to accomplish is what you have already suggested, which is to print copies of supporting documents, and when the opportunity arises that an expert makes themselves available to me, present my cong and paperwork and hope for the best.
Collecting jade is truely a scholarly pursuit, perhaps more so than my time, budget, and aptitude allows. But, I think this discussion has helped me a lot. Many thanks.
'Finding such a piece in a second hand store would be like winning the lottery' - Where do you reside?
I understand the sentiment.....just look at all the posts (including mine) where people write in hoping for that golden 'Antique Roadshow' moment where they find out their $5 thrift store buy is worth a fortune.
Truth be told, I have about 25 years of experience collecting Japanese prints that widened into many areas of Asian art over the past 8 or so years. I also live in Florida, which offers an interesting dynamic of as to what comes into the antique market due to the number of retirees that live here. The knowledge I have and the near constant influx of 'stuff' coming through second hand stores has proven quite lucrative - it is how I make my modest living.
Finding genuine Asian antiques of good quality is challenging and time consuming, but I can tell you that finding a couple of pieces worth $1000 +/- each month has been quite normal for me. And, usually once a year I find something extraordinary.
My most recent 'big find' was a 17th c. Huanghuali table that I bought in July. Someone painted the table brown and cut the legs down by 9". Still, After stripping the paint I was able to sell it privately to a specialist in China for quite a nice payout.
I think a more correct analogy would be to say that finding genuine Asian antiques at a second hand store is like prospecting for gold. Gold can be found almost everywhere in the world, but it usually is in such small quantities that you have to shovel a lot of s**t (material) to accumulate enough for it to be worthwhile.
In my case, I have more time than money, so my weekly vsitis to various shops has really paid off over the years. Unfortunately, I rarely can afford to keep my best finds.....there are always bills to pay, but such is life.
Depending on where you live, you may be undervaluing what your second hand stores have to offer. I'd be happy to share some suggestions on my personal strategy and experiences if you are interested. That is, as long as you don't live in Florida! Just joking...
Tim
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