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A vintage Chinese bamboo, wood and brass birdcage browse these categories for related items... All Items: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese: Wood: Pre 1950: item # 1150768
Ruyi Studio San Francisco By Appointment San Francisco, CA 94131 415.990.3524 Guest Book $180.00 |
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| A vintage or antique (50 to 100 years old) traditional Chinese birdcage constructed from bent bamboo, wood, metal and brass. The wooden bottom is attached to a short circular bent bamboo wall supporting forty-eight vertical posts, reinforced by horizontal supports. Three of the vertical posts are attached to a slider which operates on two adjacent fixed posts forming an integral sliding door, opposite a small circular opening, perhaps intended as a finger hole. Forty-eight bamboo spokes reinforced by an outer ring and coming together at a small central hub form the top of the cage. The top is capped with a metal disk attached by four small turned pegs and supports an elegant brass hook rising on four inwardly curling legs. The inside features two adjustable horizontal struts and a wheel-turned peg at center which may be a perch but whose function is not certain. The horizontal supports which divide the vertical space impart a certain elegance in the division of space; the nearly invisible integrated door exemplifies the design principle invoking ‘form and function’ while the small circular opening opposite adds functional and visual interest. Though not made of precious materials, the cage is a fine example of Chinese vernacular design, elegant without ostentatious decoration, the perfection of a form which has evolved from a very long tradition of bird-keeping for pleasure, the perfect accessory for the Chinese scholar’s studio or pavilion. The cage was imported from China about 20 years ago and bears a wax custom seal allowing export. Height (including hook): 35.6cm (14”); Height of cage (excluding hook): 23cm (9.1”); Diameter: 31cm (12.25”); Weight: .892Kg (1 lb. 15.46 ounces). Condition: no losses or breaks; disinfected, but well-patinated. Copyright © 2012 by Robert McCaffrey for Ruyi Studio San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. | ||
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