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The
traditional oriental history of China has records going back over
5000 years. These
records show that China is one of the world's oldest continuous
civilization. It has
been determined that the oriental civilization was first originated
with city-states located in the Yellow River valley.
But it has been commonly accepted that the year 221 BC became
an unified empire. By
creating bureaucratic
systems the empire was able to control its large territory.
It has been found that the
oriental arts and crafts of the
second half of China's Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911) showed how Art Deco
influence in Chinese design. It has been noted that many tools,
ancestor paintings, Chinese
furniture, basketry, and cabinetry, as well as newly fashionable Chinese
furnishings and accessories from the 18th and 19th centuries have
become extremely collectible. These articles can be explored in the
many specific and general books on oriental objects and history.
Another
fascinating area of oriental collecting is Chinese label, packaging, and advertising art created
between 1900 and 1976. These stunning images came from cities in
China such as Canton and Shanghai, as well as places beyond the
border such as Hong Kong, Macao, and Singapore, where large Chinese
populations thrived and commercial ties to the West are strong.
This is another area where oriental collecting can be found at a reasonable
price.
One
of the loveliest oriental objects to come from China's Imperial history is
the snuff bottle--elegant, tactile, beautifully crafted, and above
all small; it makes an ideal subject for collectors. Through
reference books you will be able to clearly and visually explores the history, types, and value ranges
of Chinese snuff bottles from the 17th century to the present. It concentrates mostly on affordable examples
of oriental collectible pieces and
explains how these can be just as important as their more expensive
cousins. These small pretty objects are a reflection of the
popularity of snuffing tobacco, particularly in the orient's17th and 18th
centuries.
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