Archives for posts with tag: leather / feather

DIA80mm, Hong Kong

Apart from elaborated neckwear, we also have casual items,  Here is a handmade casual leather bracelet.


For the celebration of the arrival of 2013, the Something Old Something New jewellery collection brings you the lucky blessing of the kirin boy.  The kirin, a mystical creature which the Chinese believe to have magical power, it also took on the role of the stork for delivery babies.  This role was attributed to the kirin from the legend of Confucius at the time before he was born; one night a kirin with a scroll in his mouth appeared in front of his parents’ house, the scroll, an announcement from heaven, has the words “he will be a wise man with good morality, though he does not have a throne, he has the virtue of a king”.  The next morning, the kirin disappeared and Confucius was born, sine then the kirin is associated with delivering babies with talents.  The kirin boy pendent, like the long life locket is a special blessing for the child wearing it.

Here is the “making off”, featuring an antique kirin boy silver pendent.

kirin boy 3


DIA160mm, Hong Kong

For the Something Old Something New Jewellery Collection, we have a jade double lotus neckwear.  The twin lotus, Bingdi lotus, has 2 flowers on a single stem, there are more rare than having a twin for human.  For the Chinese it is a symbol of solidarity, being from the same branch, same heart, use to describe a loving couple.

Unfortunately, before I have a chance to post it on the blog, this unique item has already been sold.  But its such a nice piece that I could not resist of putting it on the blog anyway.

Follow the complete flowering process of the twin lotus here.

leather flower

DIA130xH40mm, China

Today is the day of the Chinese winter solstice, Dong Zhi, it is one of the most important date for the rural China.  Early in 500 B.C., basing from sun dial, the date for the 4 seasons were defined with the day of the shortest shadow at noon being summer solstice and the longest being winter solstice.  Here are 2 folk proverbs prediction basing on the weather on the day of winter solstice, take a note and see if they are right.

Warm on Winter Solstice, freezing till middle of March;
Cold on Winter Solstice, Spring will have an early warmth.

Rain on Winter Solstice, sunny on Chinese New Year;
Rain on Mid Autumn, sunny onWinter Solstice.

White leather brooch, for the longest night of the year.  Happy winter solstice!

DIA160mm, Hong Kong

Here it is the first piece of uniquely designed jewellery we are presenting to you for the Something Old Something New jewellery collection!

A leather neckwear of leave shaped turquoise ornaments.

As a child I was intrigued by this colour, an in between of blue and green, and with such a posh name – TURQUOISE.  The name of other colours are more simple, almost as if they have been designed for a child – RED, BLUE, GREEN, YELLOW, PINK, etc., with TURQUOISE there is a French air about it.  It was until much later that I discover the material, turquoise,  and funny enough the name came from an old French word which means Turkish, Turkey was the place where turquoise was imported to Europe.

Here is the animated Ken Nordine with Turquoise;

W250xH350mm, Cambodia

There are broadly 2 types of shadow puppets in Cambodia, Sbek Thom and Sbek Toch.  Sbek Thom are large shadow puppets, the leather part can get up to 1.5-2m tall and 1.5m wide.  The puppeteers for Sbek Thom are part of the performance and are not in disguised, they dances in front and behind of the screen; the epic Ramayana is performed.  This shadow puppet belongs to the Sbek Toch genres, they are smaller and usually tell the folktales based on everyday life (unlike Sbek Thom which has a religious significant). 

W130xH220mm, Cambodia

This is a shadow puppet used for the show Reamker which was based on the Sanskrit’s Ramayana epic.  The Reamker is a popular legend for the Khmer people, loved by the common people and the kings a like.  The story is carved into the walls in Angkor Wat and in Banteay Srei  and over the Khmer New Year (13-16 April) and the King’s birthday (13-15 May) when the shadow puppet show will be performed.

 The story of Reamker is about the balance of good and evil in the world; Prince Rama was sent into exile by one of the queen mother who has her eye on the throne for her son, Rama was joined by his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana.  In the forest the female rakshasa Surphanakha tried to seduce the 2 brothers, Lakshmana being annoyed by Surphanakha cut off her ear and nose, this angered the demon who went to ask her brother Ravana to help her revenge.  Ravana (the Lord of island Lanka) was attracted by the beauty of Sita kidnapped her.  Rama and Lakshmana striked a deal with the monkey king Sugriva, they helped Sugriva to regain his kingdom from his brother Vali while Sugriva send the monkey warriors lead by Hanuman to help with their search of Sita.  Hanuman start building a stone bridge to cross to Lanka but found out that mermaids were secretly taking away the stones, he decide to capture the mermaid princess Neang Machha but instead they fell madly in love with each other. The bridge was completed, Rama and Ravana started a battle, wiht Hanuman’s help Rama won, rescued Sita and got the throne.

@ the western gopura of Banteay Srei

@ outer gallery of Angkor Wat

W600xH600, China

This is a shadow puppet from the province of Luo Shan.  The written history of shadow puppet in China dated back over 1000 years and spread all over the country, slowly each region has their own characteristic, in terms of the puppet, its control and of course the singing (as each area has a different dialect).  450 year ago in Ming dynasty shadow puppet theatre arrived Luo Shan from Luan Zhou.  Unlike the other region that uses donkey skin, Luo Shan’s puppets are with buffalo skin.  Each puppet are controlled by 3 bamboo rods and cast over a white cloth screen of 1.8x1m. The puppet theatre group would consist of 8 people (3 puppeteers), the puppet “cast” are huge (300 odd heads to match with 80 odd bodies), apart from characters there are also sets of  mountain, forest, vehicles, animals, furniture, etc!

W250xH300mm, China

Before the arrival of cinema, television and the internet, shadow puppet was the “it” entertainment in China.  The puppet is placed next to the screen (a 1 sq m treated muslin)  with lighting from behind.  Like the theater, the puppet casts include the hero, heroine, masculine, villain and of course the clown.  Each puppet is controlled with 5 bamboo stick; the puppeteer is responsible for the control 4 puppets, singing, narration, dialogue and drums.  The shadow puppet is usually made of  donkey skin which give a more transparent effect.