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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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