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Post by MsAli on Dec 1, 2018 20:30:06 GMT -5
Mr. Rhino is definitely Rhondonite
A marvelous beast he is
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Post by fernwood on Dec 2, 2018 5:23:15 GMT -5
I think the smaller ones might be Unakite.
The bird is stunning.
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Post by johnw on Dec 2, 2018 12:30:13 GMT -5
BTW, is there a limit on images I can post? No limit. Have at it! Tommy, thank's for letting me show my Zoo to the RTH membership without imposing any limit on number of pictures I could show. I really appreciated that gesture. I counted 83 individual animals and 136 pictures in the presentation. I guess you could call that picture heavy.......  Cheers, johnw |
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Post by johnw on Dec 2, 2018 12:41:41 GMT -5
I think the smaller ones might be Unakite. The bird is stunning. Thank you. The carving on that piece blew me away when I considered it was crafted from a single block, or could have been a thick slab. Any guess as to what the bird is made of? I never got an answer from the sales people so I am guessing it may be mottled jade but could be some other type of stone. It is very cold to the touch though which is a general indicator it may be jade. Anyway it really doesn't matter, it's the image that is stunning and the fine detail of the carving that make it an interesting piece. Update, fernwood, just as an aside: the carving skills of the Chinese masters is phenomenal. Here is an example of what they can achieve. This is a two and a half inch diameter ball of ivory with several balls carved on the inside. Can you see them? Let me know how many balls you can count. Oh, and the balls move. Cheers, johnw  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 18:46:22 GMT -5
Here is an example of what they can achieve. This is a two and a half inch diameter ball of ivory with several balls carved on the inside. Nice! I also have one of those puzzle balls sitting around. Supposed to be "jade" but more like something much softer, and dyed. Still, the patience and skill is certainly impressive. Used to use curved files to carve them out, though I'm sure they've come up with some sort of motorized tools to do the interiors by now. |
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Post by johnw on Dec 2, 2018 20:34:36 GMT -5
Here is an example of what they can achieve. This is a two and a half inch diameter ball of ivory with several balls carved on the inside. Nice! I also have one of those puzzle balls sitting around. Supposed to be "jade" but more like something much softer, and dyed. Still, the patience and skill is certainly impressive. Used to use curved files to carve them out, though I'm sure they've come up with some sort of motorized tools to do the interiors by now. Hi rocks2dust. I understand the 'old ones" where made of ivory and fabricated as described here: The sphere was turned on a lathe then conical holes were drilled towards the center. The maker has a set of "L" shaped tools: the one with the longest upright has the shortest cutter, and the one with the shortest upright has the longest cutter. Starting with the longest tool he lowers it to the narrow bottom of each hole in turn and rotates it to cut the innermost ball free. Then he gets the second tool which does not reach so far down the hole but can cut a wider arc and separates the second ball. He continues working from the innermost to outermost shell. For obvious reasons, usually only the outermost balls are elaborately carved. The one I have has 14 conical holes drilled into the center. So with the basic knowledge provided above, I can see how easier it would be to cut away the remaining solid sections of ivory. In the early times coordinating the depth of drilling of the conical holes would have been the challenge given "lathes" they had were made of wood and powered by a persons foot. Fast forward to current times using a modern lathe, for which the depths of conical hole drilling can be controlled within fractions of a millimeter, it just becomes another manufacturing process. More trickier, would be the releasing of the internal "balls" from the surrounding solid structure and I am guessing it's done manually with tools similar to that of a Dremel but with special bits like those used in older times. We can also see how the intricate carving of the outside ball is now done by watching the video you provided, for which I thank you for sharing. Easy-peasy rockes2dust, we have now just solved the age old puzzle being how those balls were made. I do not however take away any of the skills still required to achieve the finished product. The balls are still amazing to see and wonder just how in the heck did they make that. Uraaaa.  Cheers, johnw |
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Post by Pat on Dec 2, 2018 20:40:41 GMT -5
Years ago, we were in Mexico City at the museum where there was a display of your ivory ball. It was stunning! Great detail, and all the balls turned.
There was also a stitched cat --- I don't know how to describe the method. The cat was stitched onto a fabric sheet. On one side of the sheet, we saw the front of the cat. On the backside, we saw the back of the cat. Everything matched beautifully. Could not see the ends of any of the threads. Mind boggling!
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Post by johnw on Dec 2, 2018 21:40:24 GMT -5
Years ago, we were in Mexico City at the museum where there was a display of your ivory ball. It was stunning! Great detail, and all the balls turned. There was also a stitched cat --- I don't know how to describe the method. The cat was stitched onto a fabric sheet. On one side of the sheet, we saw the front of the cat. On the backside, we saw the back of the cat. Everything matched beautifully. Could not see the ends of any of the threads. Mind boggling! Hi Pat, I know exactly what you mean. The pictures you describe are actually all made of silk and are made in Suzhou, south of Shanghai by young girls between 12 to 15. I had an opportunity to visit one of those factories when I was in Shanghai and was amazed at the age of the kids doing the sewing. When asked why kids, the answer was "due to their eyesight and the delicate intricacy of the sewing involved"....... O.K. so I understood. The manufacturing process involves starting out with a blank sheet of silk stretched out on a wooden frame and involves copying a master colored sketch but using identical colored silk threads to make the picture. Here is a sample of their handy-work:  Front side. 
Close up, showing the skills of these kids doing the work. Each strand is different.  Other side. Picture is 7 inches in diameter.  Close up of the other side. Please note the threads on the birds beak and the "blank" silk base they used. There are subtle differences on each side. Can you detect them? Here is a clue: The stamens in the flower on this side above, are more pronounced than those of the other side. So I am guessing this was the main side they used to make the picture. In any event it is awesome work. Seems I can't get away from "birds."  Cheers, johnw
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Post by parfive on Dec 3, 2018 1:44:28 GMT -5
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Post by fernwood on Dec 3, 2018 4:23:23 GMT -5
I have held some of the carved balls before. Just amazing.
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Post by MsAli on Dec 3, 2018 11:16:04 GMT -5
Anyone else want to go play at johnw house? |
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Post by johnw on Dec 3, 2018 11:59:33 GMT -5
Anyone else want to go play at johnw house? Well, I guess I could do a selection of silk pictures, I got, well you know this would happen, quite a few. Rex is my fave. I'll show you, hang on a while. I had to get Rex outa his frame. He measures 11"x17"........Here is Rex: 
Take a closer look. Pretty amazing work.  Each silk strand is separate. You can get an idea of how fine a work it is here. Even his shiny nose is silk.  Cheers, johnw |
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,981
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Post by Tommy on Dec 3, 2018 12:49:29 GMT -5
Tommy, thank's for letting me show my Zoo to the RTH membership without imposing any limit on number of pictures I could show. I really appreciated that gesture. I counted 83 individual animals and 136 pictures in the presentation. I guess you could call that picture heavy....... Cheers, johnw You're welcome John but it really isn't a gesture - it's pretty normal for a forum to allow free and open posting including photos as long as it is in keeping with the spirit of the forum. I think any forum that tried or even wanted to place limits would missing the whole point and sealing their own fate. Besides all that, this is an awesome thread you have going on here  |
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Post by MsAli on Dec 3, 2018 12:59:11 GMT -5
Anyone else want to go play at johnw house? Well, I guess I could do a selection of silk pictures, I got, well you know this would happen, quite a few. Rex is my fave. I'll show you, hang on a while. I had to get Rex outa his frame. He measures 11"x17"........Here is Rex:
Take a closer look. Pretty amazing work. Each silk strand is separate. You can get an idea what it looks like in this image. Cheers johnw This is fantastic! You know I am kicking myself for not doing more shopping while I was in Hong Kong and Singapore  |
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Post by johnw on Dec 3, 2018 13:17:15 GMT -5
Tommy, thank's for letting me show my Zoo to the RTH membership without imposing any limit on number of pictures I could show. I really appreciated that gesture. I counted 83 individual animals and 136 pictures in the presentation. I guess you could call that picture heavy....... Cheers, johnw You're welcome John but it really isn't a gesture - it's pretty normal for a forum to allow free and open posting including photos as long as it is in keeping with the spirit of the forum. I think any forum that tried or even wanted to place limits would missing the whole point and sealing their own fate. Besides all that, this is an awesome thread you have going on here Thank you Tommy, I try to provide some interesting items. After all this is my new home and have found a family and some new friends. Cheers, johnw |
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Post by johnw on Dec 3, 2018 13:23:39 GMT -5
Just a quick follow up on the Zoo. We are now closed for the Winter Season and will return in spring when the weather is more suitable for Residents. And, at that time, the Fantasy Group will then strut their stuff along with any new members of the Zoo. In the meantime our security is managed by the Temple Dogs and the Fantasy Group were kind enough to send in their Dragon and Snatch Bird as ground support. Our eye in the sky has been provided by the Owl Group. Here they are:   That's it folks, all done. Zoo is now padlocked and all is secure.....  Cheers, johnw |
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Post by fernwood on Dec 4, 2018 6:22:08 GMT -5
Those last ones are very amazing.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 4, 2018 15:15:31 GMT -5
I mentioned your zoo to my regal feline. I could not show her Mr. Hippo, as when she was young she was impaled by a hippo. I was afraid it would cause flashbacks. She was a little disappointed at the lack of many felines, but enjoyed the others.  |
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Post by johnw on Dec 4, 2018 23:51:48 GMT -5
I mentioned your zoo to my regal feline. I could not show her Mr. Hippo, as when she was young she was impaled by a hippo. I was afraid it would cause flashbacks. She was a little disappointed at the lack of many felines, but enjoyed the others. I can see where she got impaled: on the foot. Is this a teapot? Looks like a spout on the foot. BTW I like your dialog. Not only do you have the sight, you have "third person omniscient skills." It's a natural gift inherited by most story tellers. Please tell your feline, the Zoo did feature two of the biggest felines on the planet, being Tigers. Does your feline have a name and being the case please tell her to visit the Zoo in the spring of 2019 and gaze in awe at the Fantasy felines. BTW Mr. Rhinos' significant other is a Fantasy Rhino. She and her young son left early, so they could not be included in the photo ops. There was a bit of a discussion between the two and it was decided the young pure malachite Rhino may conflict with the strutting Unakite Rhino's, so they left. Mrs. Rhino is a huge matriarch and is a pure thoroughbred malachite Rhino. Just to give you a hint. Cheers, johnw |
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Post by johnw on Dec 5, 2018 0:03:38 GMT -5
Those last ones are very amazing. Thank you. But they generally try and maintain a low profile due to the nature of their respective jobs. They did want to let any would be intruders know that the Snatch Bird and Fantasy Dragon, being ground support, compliment the vicious Temple Dogs, in that they snatch and grab and rip any intruders they find. Now, the eye in the sky guy, Mr. Owl patrols overhead at the Zoo and can see in the dark. He is there specifically to warn the ground security operation team of any intruders attempting to enter the Zoo. Just to let you know. Cheers, johnw |
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Cheers, johnw
Nov 14, 2024 18:17:57 GMT -5
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Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
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