. A residence among the Chinese: inland, on the coast, and at sea. Being a narrative of scenes and adventures during a third visit to China, from 1853 to 1856. the form of circular dishes with uprightsides, very thick, strong, and heavy, and invariablyhave the marks of one, two, or three, on thebottom, written in this form, II, III- The coloursof some of these rare specimens, which have comeunder my observation, vary; but the kinds mosthighly prized have a brownish-yellow ground,over which is thrown a light shot sky-blue, withhere and there a dash of blood-red. The Chinesetell us there are but
. A residence among the Chinese: inland, on the coast, and at sea. Being a narrative of scenes and adventures during a third visit to China, from 1853 to 1856. the form of circular dishes with uprightsides, very thick, strong, and heavy, and invariablyhave the marks of one, two, or three, on thebottom, written in this form, II, III- The coloursof some of these rare specimens, which have comeunder my observation, vary; but the kinds mosthighly prized have a brownish-yellow ground,over which is thrown a light shot sky-blue, withhere and there a dash of blood-red. The Chinesetell us there are but a few of these specimens inthe country, and that they are more than a thou-sand years old. A specimen shown me by aChinese merchant in Canton was valued at threehundred dollars! In endeavouring to make adealer lower his price for one in Shanghae, hequietly put it away, telling me at the same timethat I evidently did not understand the value of CuAP. V. ANCIENT ENAMELS —BEONZES. 87 the article I wished to purchase. It was withsome difficulty I got him to produce it again, andeventually I procured it for a much less sum thanI could have done in Ancient Porcelain Vessel. Within the last few years the attention of col-lectors in this country has been, drawn to theancient enamels of China. Many fine specimenswere seen in the Great Exhibition of the Worksof Art of all Nations in Hyde Park, and since thattime a number of specimens have found their wayinto Europe. The specimens to which I alludehave the enamel on copper, beautifully colouredand enlivened with figures of flowers, birds, andother animals. The colouring is certainly mostchaste and effective, and well worth the attentionof artists in this country. According to the testi-mony of the Chinese, this manufacture is of a veryearly period; no good specimens have been madefor the last six or eight hundred years. In the province of Fokien I met with someancient bronzes, beautifully inlaid with white metalor silver. Thes
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidresiden, booksubjecttravel
