Posted on: Saturday, November 13, 2004
ISLAND TREASURES
Carvings could have fetched $300
By Brenda Reichel
Q. I purchased two matching statues of Kwan Yin on the Mainland and was told they were Chinese red amber. They measure approximately 16 inches tall and 4 to 6 inches wide. They sink in salt water. They are also on carved rosewood bases. I purchased them from a lady who stated she had acquired them at an estate sale of an elderly gentleman who traveled extensively in the Orient at the turn of the century. One of the statues lost its head and had it reattached. What more can you tell me about my Chinese red amber carvings? — Robert
Bob Heidrick Q. I purchased a porcelain doll at a garage sale in Manoa Valley. It has a porcelain face and hands, and is marked on the back of the head. The face and hands are painted and look to be in good condition, along with the cloth body. Should I keep it? — Billie, Manoa A. The porcelain doll is circa 1980s in the New Born series by Ashton Drake. It originally sold for $154. Today, it is listed on eBay, on average, for $24.95 — depending on whether it comes with the box and certificate from Ashton Drake.
Q. My father came from Japan in early 1889 to Hawai'i to work on the plantations and brought this porcelain object. He told me at one time it was a head rest. I never saw him sleep with it under his head when I was growing up. What can you tell me about it? — Maize, Kaimuki
A. It is an Art Deco-period Japanese head rest, made of porcelain. The color is light green (celadon). There is no maker's mark, such as Nippon or Noritake, that indicates a modern Japanese porcelain company. Many porcelain objects are never marked or dated by the manufacturer. Because you have a family history, you can date the head rest. A similar porcelain head rest sold on eBay recently for $45.
Have a family treasure and wonder what it's worth? Send your questions, along with a picture of the item, to Brenda Reichel at Carats & Karats, 1254 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96814, or flawless@lava.net.
A. The carvings are very nice and finely detailed. The "red amber" was examined under the microscope and was determined to be red bakelite, which is a type of plastic. Bakelite and other plastics are commonly sold as red amber in the Orient. Natural amber is a fossil tree sap more than 65 million years old. Natural amber has been found in areas of Europe, including Russia and the Baltic region. Amber is even found in the Dominican Republic (hence the amber referred to in the movie "Jurassic Park"). The inclusions usually found in amber are plant and animal material along with "sun spangles." None of those inclusions were present in your carvings. I truly am sorry one of the ladies has lost her head. The carvings would have a value of $150 to $300, undamaged.
Instead of Chinese red amber, these Kwan Yin statues actually are red bakelite, a type of plastic.
