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Hi,
Please see below a little bronze hammer. I'd like to know more about it.
For what purpose is it intended to be used ( medical, musical, decorative , ...) ?
What reads the engraved chinese writing ?
Regards

揚高聲造　ca. It was made to be heard, or
Made with the purpose to raise sound

Wirh regards,
I.Nagy

Dear I.Nagy,
First of all, I would like to thank you for always being so kind as to translate all these Chinese writings. Not only myself but also on behalf of all those who browse this forum and benefit from your vast knowledge.
Asking about this hammer, i was told it was part of a gong or of a yangqin. Others have suggested a household utensil like nutcracker, ice or sugar hammer, a head massage tool, a hammer for breaking beggar's chickens or, more surprisingly, to drive in stakes demarcating a ceremonial area ... a lot of assumptions but the writings are not converging in these ways .
The hammer is probably the World's oldest tool. Great apes and even corvids are using stones as "hammers". So over the time, alongside its practical use, the hammer has acquired a symbolic meaning ( deity symbol, national emblem, rank insignia, ... ) and whoever holding it in his hand might be seen as the master, the leader or the decision-maker.
So is it a belonging of a family patriach, a host, a teacher and used to request attention of their audience?
Maybe simply a door knocker ? Or a fun gadget gift e.g. for a groom ;-)) ?
I'd really want to find out what this little brass hammer can be used for ... apart from driving in little bronze nails :-))
Regards from Belgium

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