After finishing one piece, seeing that there was still some coral left, Chen Wenzhe directly made a "Fu Shou An Kang" red coral tree bonsai.
This piece was made by the Manufacturing Office in the mid-Qing Dynasty and was collected by the Qing Palace.
The overall height is 108.5 cm, the coral height is 48 cm, and the basin diameter is 65-32 cm.
The three-layered peach-style basin is made by combining various techniques such as chiseling, filigree enamel, and painted enamel.
The copper pole and the branches and leaves of filigree enamel are coiled at the bottom and extend between the three layers of double peaches, interspersed and hidden.
There are two big bats on the front and back of the peach basin with their wings spread out, holding up a filigree enamel "Shou" character surrounded by chiseled gold flowing clouds.
Between the three layers of peaches, there are seven little copper-plated bats flying up and down next to the peach.
A large red coral tree is placed in the pot, which is bright and moist, with a large shape and evenly distributed branches.
"I will make two more pieces, and I won't do the rest. It's just that these two pieces will be more complicated and more beautiful."
“Let’s do the bangs first!”
This time I used beeswax. The stone bangs and toad bonsai was made of beeswax. The overall height is 37 cm, the base height is 17 cm, the length is 26.5 cm, and the width is 20 cm.
Prepare the materials first. This time it is more complicated and uses more materials.
After sorting it out, there are quite a few. There are square angled seats, and the walls of the seats are inlaid with three kinds of colored materials: imitation mutton-fat white jade, imitation sapphire, and imitation lapis lazuli.
In addition, there are five-color materials such as malachite, Venus stone, and coral.
Among them, blue gold star material and malachite are used as the upper and lower borders and dividing grids.
In the frame of the seat wall, there are 18 pieces of imitation jade material and 4 pieces of transparent blue material, all of which are carved with square Guaizi and Kui dragon patterns.
The front of the seat wall is inlaid with a relief coral piece with bat and flowing cloud patterns, and a wishful-shaped beeswax piece is embedded in the center of the coral piece, with the Kui dragon pattern engraved on it.
The seat is made of malachite-carved mountain stone, with an immortal man with bangs made of amber and beeswax standing on the stone.
He is holding a carved coral money chain, smiling happily, and playing with a three-legged toad.
The toad is made of gold star material, inlaid with rubies and blue materials. It bends its back and raises its head, looking up at the money chain in Liu Hai's hand, with an expression of eagerness to try.
Next to the bangs, red coral branches of the Bergamot tree were planted, dyed tooth leaves, clams and red beeswax were used to make the Bergamot fruit.
Others include copper branches and leaves, coral flowers, camellias and corals, large blue Ganoderma lucidum, etc.
After finishing this piece, Chen Wenzhe took a rest and looked back at his work, feeling very satisfied.
However, after reading it, Chen Wenzhe discovered that most of the works were from the mid-Qing Dynasty.
He worked for Yongzheng and Qianlong, but not for Kangxi.
Therefore, there is not much room for choice for the last piece, which is just like a Kangxi gem bonsai.
What he made this time was the "Ten Thousand Years of Immortal Life" bonsai inlaid with jewels. It was made by the Kangxi Manufacturing Office in the Qing Dynasty.
The overall height is 69 cm, the basin length is 51.5 cm, and the width is 28.3 cm.
A rectangular basin with gold-plated silver and silk brocade pattern. The bottom edge of the basin mouth is filled with green material vertical cloud patterns. The center of each cloud head is inlaid with rubies, a total of 50 rubies per week.
The front and back sides of the basin are decorated with the same pattern, framed by chiseled branches.
The lower part of the pattern in the frame is the golden sea water, and the raging waves are standing in the Yixian Pavilion.
On both sides of the fairy pavilion, there are Lesi River cliffs, filled with green flowing clouds and a Lesi golden dragon.
The eyes of the two golden dragons and the beads they play on are all inlaid with pearls.
The fairy pavilion is also inlaid with pearls and rubies, just like hanging lanterns under the eaves.
This bonsai is resplendent and glittering with jewels.
There is a channel under the glass cover of the basin, and mercury is poured into the channel.
On the cover, there are stacks of longevity stones stacked with various gemstones, and there are three main towers.
On the left is the gold-plated ruby mountain, the highest one in the middle is the malachite mountain, and on the right is the ruby mountain.
There are two colorful red coral trees planted behind the mountain. Between the mountains and in front of the mountain, there are pine trees inlaid with gold-plated copper and pearls, and plum blossom trees inlaid with tourmalines and rubies.
There are also some spiritual flowers and plants made of gold and various gemstones planted on the rocks, making them even more dazzling on the Gemstone Mountain.
In the middle of the scene, next to the malachite mountain, a longevity star carved from red coral holds a staff in his left hand and an emerald ganoderma in his right hand. Next to him stands a gilded fairy boy and fairy deer.
This bonsai is the largest, has the most scenery, and the most exquisite figures and animals.
This can be regarded as Chen Wenzhe's peak level in filigree craftsmanship and inlay craftsmanship.
After finishing this piece, he felt that he had reached the pinnacle in terms of filigree inlay.
Not to mention anything else, just making cloisonné enamelware, there should be no problem at all.
Therefore, after finishing this piece, Chen Wenzhe did not plan to do it. After all, he had made porcelain-bodied enamelware before, and now he just changed it to copper-bodied filigree enamel.
Chen Wenzhe now feels that not only can he make copper-embedded filigree enamel, but he can also perfectly replicate cloisonné, and he can even do enamel paintings very well.
Especially the works that combine various craftsmanship, he has done a lot of them.
If you have unique skills, especially those known as the Eight Unique Skills of Yanjing, you naturally have to show them off!
I will not do simple filigree inlays, but return to enamelware.
The interweaving of gold and dazzling colors is the proper expression of the copper-embedded filigree enamel of the Ming and Qing palaces.
In the Antiques and Curios section, you can’t miss the exquisite copper-embedded cloisonné enamel from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The cloisonné enamel craft was introduced to my country around the 13th to 14th centuries.
In the early Ming Dynasty, Cao Zhao called it the "big food kiln" in "Essential Theory of Gegu".
Due to the complicated production process, strict technical requirements, and high cost, filigree enamel has been monopolized by the royal family since the birth of my country and was hidden deep in the palace.
The works produced by Chen Wenzhe this time are not limited to the top Qing palace works, but several pieces of enamelware that he has carefully selected to be unique in style, ingenious, or rare.
Just like the Qianlong copper body filigree enamel Taiping eight auspicious treasure box with eight elephants in the Qing Dynasty, it may not be too expensive, but it is very unique.
This multi-treasure box "Made in the Qianlong Year" is 20.8 centimeters tall.
The estimated price is not high, only between RMB 1.8 million and RMB 2.5 million.
During the Qianlong Dynasty, the filigree enamel craft reached its peak. In addition to inheriting various types of utensils from the previous dynasty, it also produced antique bronzes and religious offerings.
The enamel wares of this dynasty took a new approach, and they also produced practical display wares in the shapes of various animals.
These utensils are intricately decorated, with patterns using traditional chilongs, animal faces, auspicious patterns, lotus ponds, landscapes, philodendrons and lotus petals, chrysanthemum petals and various Western-style flowers.
During this period, the filigree technology was more sophisticated, the thickness was even and smooth, the glazes were of various types, the glazes were bright and clean, and the technology was developed to perfection.
This multi-treasure box is undoubtedly an ingenious piece of filigree enamel from the Qianlong period.
The whole vessel is in the shape of a four-petal Japanese horn flower-shaped tube box; the top is embossed with gilt copper in low relief to outline winding branches and curly grass.
There is a button in the center, and a reclining elephant is placed on the lotus platform with a graceful figure, looking back into the distance;
The body of the elephant is covered with gorgeous necklaces, and the pure vase is carried on its back. It is a typical jade pot spring vase shape, with lotus and lotus patterns on its surface, perfectly demonstrating the essence of Qing palace craftsmanship.
The elephant carrying the treasure vase is a metaphor for "peace", so it is called "Taiping with elephants", or "Happy elephants bring peace".