Ultimate Mystery Objects: Chinese Ornate Bronze Grilles

I have written about many Chinese mystery objects, with the answer revealed in the following post. However, some of my Chinese items are “ultimate” mystery objects—I cannot supply the answer because no one has any idea of what they are.

These may be common objects, and after publishing I will see them everywhere, but the dealers I have bought them from could supply no information, no one else seemed to know, and intensive internet searches turned up nothing. Perhaps the public scrutiny involved in posting them will yield a clue, and the mystery will at length be solved.

Today’s example is a set of three round bronze grilles, each about seven inches (18 centimeters) in diameter. They are of the same basic pattern, but have increasing complexity of ornamentation.

The simplest design, with added boss to give the center some interest.

The first one has the simplest design. There is an outer ring, with four brackets that bend down to support the inner design. This consists of two more concentric rings. The four outer brackets are split into double volutes or spirals, filling part of the open space. The middle ring has four bars soldered to it in a cross pattern, which support the inner ring. A large, ribbed boss is at the very center.

Additional volutes in the center start to fill in the design.

The second grille starts out like the first. However, the four struts that support the inner circle do not meet in the center, but like the outer struts are split into double volutes. Since these eight spirals occupy the smaller inner spaces, they immediately give a much more ornate and dense effect.

On top of what is left of the inner supports there is attached a cross-like structure with banded ends that is split in the middle to form a hollow square space (detail enlarged in top photo). With the inner circle, the whole effect is of a large coin pattern, similar to those on the pewter offering stand. The round cash coin with a square hole in the center is a very auspicious Chinese design.

The most elaborate design, with added bats.

The final grille is the most elaborate. It is built like the second one, but this time on the flat part of the supports emanating from the middle circle are riveted four bronze bats. These bats are well made, of an openwork design with soldered-on three-dimensional bodies and finely engraved wings. Bats, of course, are another Chinese lucky symbol.

The center coin design is altered slightly. The square hole is larger, and there is no banding on the crosspieces that create the hole. The effect is simpler and more open, perhaps intentionally to avoid a too-crowded look with the addition of the bats.

Detail of the workmanship on the bat appliques.

Their open pattern suggests grilles of some kind, for ventilation, heat, or incense, but I have not seen similar grilles in situ. The lucky symbols incorporated are very common to many Chinese objects, and would not indicate any particular purpose. The supports split into spirals are often seen in Chinese metalwork, but I imagine this technique is found in most societies. 

These three grilles somewhat resemble trivets, but the step-down in each one suggests that they were designed to fit into openings. The fact that there are no mounting holes for nails indicates that they likely were set into a flat surface, instead of being mounted vertically into walls. Various stoves, large incense burners, and furnaces for burning spirit money might have had such flat vents built into them. Some incense and money burners are very large, often built of masonry.

However, the boss on the simple design indicates that nothing (such as a kettle) was meant to be placed on these, and the bronze is too thin to support the heat from a stove or furnace, although if not too near the flames, these uses are still possible.

My best guess is that these were meant for a large temple-size incense burner, although that still leaves the mystery of the three designs. They could have been meant for different types of incense (or denominations of spirit money), or they could have been arranged in a way that made visual sense.

I have three of these, but of course the original number could have been much greater—they could even have encircled a building or large object with rows of increasingly complex designs. Conversely, these could have been sample products, to allow the consumer to choose the most pleasing design.

I imagine that these would look good mounted against a white wall, to highlight the designs. If you have seen similar objects before, or can guess a more probable use for them, please let me know in the comments. Also let me know which one is your favorite: the simple model, the intermediate design with the extra volutes, or the most complex design with the bats.

 

All photographs and original objects property of the author.

Mystery Object Revealed: Lion-shaped Carpenter’s Chalk or Ink Line

This latest mystery object is a carpenter’s chalk line or ink line, used for marking long, straight lines. A string is wound around a reel stored in the lion’s body. It then travels through the cup which is filled with fibers soaked in ink, and on through a hole in the back. (Today blue powdered chalk is more commonly used than is black ink.) A length of the ink-soaked line is unreeled, then held taught above a floor, wall, or board. The string is then snapped, leaving a marked line which can then be cut or have things matched to it, such as floor tiles.

The mystery object, a figural ink-line.

This is such a common tool, still currently used, that I’ll bet a number of you possess one or have seen one used, although today they are in the utilitarian form of a small sealed box that contains both string and pigment. In Chinese these are called da-mo-xian or sometimes mo-dou (打墨線, 墨鬥). In Japan, these are called sumitsubo, and are still sometimes seen in elaborate forms.

Congratulations to the completely anonymous reader who provided the right answer. The other guesses were interesting in that many of you sensed that this somehow had something to do with ink or paint. I think that if some of you had noticed the reel handle and imagined turning it, you would have realized the answer.

Thank you to Mrs. D. who tried several times—I think that you took too seriously my hint not to put your finger in the hole, making you think that this was somehow dangerous. The real reason, of course, is that the hole is filled with inky wadding, and I was concerned about ink getting on your delicate fabrics or the amazing quilts you make. But you must have used chalk lines when restoring your Victorian house.

This side view shows a tiny bit of the string protruding from the back.

Why would such a common tool be made in so elaborate a form? I have seen many of these, in every shape imaginable, but lions, dragons, and geometrics seem to be the most common shapes, so this one is not a fluke. On the other hand, I have rarely seen other tools made in decorative forms. Perhaps this is because ink lines are not used with a great deal of force, so the irregular shape would not hurt the hands or easily get broken.

It seems that many carpenters made these for themselves, as sort of a rite of passage when entering the field. This has been likened to the elaborate masterpieces that Western apprentices had to make to be admitted into a guild, but this analogy is not perfect. Carving is not really a required skill in carpentry, and many of these are made rather crudely, more like a form of folk art. Often ink lines were made of scraps of wood, bent wire, and odd, leftover parts.

Ink lines are also used in feng-shui, for creating sight lines, etc. and feng-shui practitioners might want to use a more dressed-up from of this tool. In that case, the lucky symbolism of a lion or dragon might play a part, as with the lion masks featured earlier.

 

A top view of the ink line, with centimeter scale, showing clearly the hole for the inked wadding through which the string passes.

Although he is boldly carved, I also like the relative lack of sophistication in this lion, and am amused by how the tail ends up virtually 2-dimensional when it runs up against the ink pot. It must have been fun using tools like these, although when my apartment here in Taipei was recently rebuilt, all of the tools including chalk lines were quite modern. It’s nice to think of a carpenter so dedicated that when the day was over, instead of relaxing in the equivalent of an easy chair, he got to work carving one of these fascinating ink lines.

All photos and original objects property of the author.