September 17th, 2009 — Antiquities, Ceramic Piggy Banks, Collectible, Decorative Arts
Ceramic piggy banks have an interesting history. Why pigs, exactly, and not bank shapes or a tiny safe? Apparently, we use pigs because of language, and a simple mistake. The word “pygg” was an old English word for an orange clay commonly used to make jars, pots, dishes, and almost anything we use ceramic for today. Extra coins in a household were commonly dropped into a jar made from pygg. Language evolved over the next few hundreds years, and in the early 19th century when some English potters were asked to make pygg banks, they made banks shaped like pigs. They were a hit with customers, and the piggy bank was born—or so the most widely believed explanation says.
One other version of the origin of the ceramic piggy bank claims that a young boy in the early 20th century wanted to raise money to help lepers. He sold his pet pig and donated the money from the sale to help leprosy victims. His generosity caused people to call it the Pig Bank Movement, thus staring the name piggy bank. A church in Kansas bears a plaque commemorating the boy and his generosity, and the piggy bank in general.
Who hasn’t had a piggy bank at some point in his or her life? Ceramic piggy banks are popular items today, and are often given to children at birth or as a first birthday gift, as an heirloom and to foster the good habit of saving money for a rainy day. Silver-plated banks are often engraved with the child’s name and date of birth or some other milestone date when given as gifts. And often tradition has the gift-giver putting the first coin into the bank before giving it as a seed for future wealth.
The value of collectible ceramic piggy banks hinges on a number of things like the age, the condition, and the significance of the design or the bank itself (did it belong so someone noteworthy, or was it created by someone famous, for instance.) What kind of piggy bank you purchases depends on whether or not you’re interested in it as a collectible, or if it’s simply because you love the design.
Vintage ceramic piggy banks can be called vintage simply because they’re not in a currently popular style. Be sure it’s not just labeled as vintage, but collectible as well, if you’re looking for an investment piece to add value to your collection. The uniqueness of the bank, and the quality and condition all figure into the price and the value.
Very old ceramic piggy banks will often have cracks, chips or crackling. If you can find a very old bank intact, you’ve probably found a nice collector piece. Just be sure to ask the seller, whether online or in person, if repairs have been made, if any chips have been glued, or if any type of re-glazing has been done to the bank. You’ll want one as close to its original condition as possible.
Originally posted 2008-10-29 14:00:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 9th, 2009 — Antiquities, Chinese Antiques, Chinese Chest, Collectible
A Chinese chest can improve the look of any room, in addition to providing storage space and serving as a conversation piece, especially if it’s an antique. A chest can function as more than just storage, it can be used as a coffee or side table, or it can simply be on its own, with collectibles displayed on top as well as stored inside.
If you’re after the look of an authentic antique Chinese chest, first examine your budget. An antique Asian chest can cost a great deal, depending on its age and the period in which it was created, and of course, on its condition. The price can also depend on the intended use for the chest. While many were created simply as beautiful storage pieces, many were designed for a specific purpose, like to hold blankets or books, and some have drawers for hiding away small items. Some feature a single compartment, some are designed to be quite tall and some were designed to have a low profile.
Chests and trunks were used by the Ancient Chinese to store almost everything they needed, from food to bedding. They often stacked chests on top of one another, with the highest chests containing those items used regularly, and lower chests holding things used only occasionally for convenience. The Ancient Chinese considered this an efficient method, to eliminate time spent searching for items. A Chinese chest is likely to feature drawers of some type, an invention attributed to the Chinese and their sense of neatness and efficiency.
A true ancient Chinese chest will be made of wood, usually camphor or elm because these woods repelled insects and fungi that can destroy wood over time. Tropical wood is often used today that’s imported from other Asian countries, and is often painted black or red featuring landscape scenes. New Chinese chests are sometimes even made from steel which can last longer than wood and is less expensive. But authentic ancient chests will be wood, with a simple design, and decorative handles and hinges. Some things do vary by period, though. For instance, a Chinese chest made during the Ming Dynasty will be more ornate than those constructed during some other periods. Handles, locks and hinges as well as other accessories on the chest would most likely be made from precious stones, brass or copper.
If you’re looking to buy a Chinese chest, a local dealer is a good starting point, even if only for research. Research online to find the popular attributes of the time period you’re looking for. And if you shop online on eBay for instance, ask the seller many questions about damage and repair to see if the piece has been altered.
A Chinese chest can cost $150 or thousands of dollars. While the lower priced authentic chests aren’t going to be much more than their reproductions, the older chests than range from several hundred to thousands of dollars are probably best passed over for reproductions, unless you’re purchasing for the investment rather than the aesthetic.
Originally posted 2008-10-31 14:00:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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