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Books and Media:
Reviews on Asian crafts and antiques
Shopping and Collecting in Asia Antiques Price Guide 2006
by Miller, Judith
This rather heavy volume gives expert advice on a wide range of collectibles, including porcelain, pottery, oriental ceramics, carved arts, furniture, glassware, silver and metalware, clocks, jewellery, textiles, toys, books and tribal art. More than 8000 antiques are found in this book. On each page, each antique is photographed and carefully captioned and a ball-park price is expressed in Great British Pound. This price is meant to inform buyers what they could expect to pay for a similar item.
by Eiland, Murray L., Jr. & Murray Eiland III
Murray Eiland's Oriental Rugs has long been recognized as the definitive source of knowledge on oriental rugs and carpets. This edition contains 330 colour plates and 15 colour relief maps as well as text that has been thoroughly revised following extensive first-hand reserach. Focusing on the 19th and 20 century weaving of the Middle and Far East, it begins with a brief history and continues on to a discussion of weaving techniques, dyes, and design.
by Ho Wing Meng
This beautifully illustrated volume presents Straits Chinese porcelain, a little known category of 19th century polychrome enamelled porcelain made in China exclusively for export to the Straits Chinese communities of Southeast Asia. Glossary and bibliography included.
by Purser, Warwick
The author of this book owns a company which brings Indonesian crafts to the world market. He believes that the artisans of Indonesia routinely make some of the finest crafts in the world. This book is his hommage to these craftspeople. The chapters are divided by the materials used to make these crafts: terracotta and ceramics, stone, wood, metal, natural fibres, textiles and others. In each chapter the author discusses briefly the materials that are used. Colour plates allow the reader to examine the many exquisite pieces in detail.
by Mazurkewich, Karen
This serious guide to collecting Chinese furniture looks at furniture in China as it has evolved since the Tang Dynasty. It includes 550 colour photographs and discusses woods, furniture-making techniques, symbolisms and decorations and also the 20th-century Western interest in Chinese furniture, and some effects of the Cultural Revolution. Many examples are given of screens and doors, domestic furniture, household accessories, imperial and classical styles, and regional differences. There is a useful chapter "May the Buyer Beware" which deals with fakes, restoration, wear and tear and also how to deal with dealers. With bibliography and addresses of some dealers.
.by Richter, Anne
A major & comprehensive account of Southeast Asian jewelry, a tradition which stretches from Neolithic and Bronze Age art and religion to the present day of reflects influences from the ancient Mediterranean, Western Asia , India and China. More than 300 very diverse pieces drawn from museums and private sources -- and many hitherto unpublished -- are illustrated in full colour with explanations of their uses and cultural/symbolic significance. Referenced and indexed, with bibliography and 480 illustrations, 353 in colour, this new and detailed study will appeal to all jewelry lovers.
by Cammann, Schuyler
This is a reprint of art historian Schuyler Cammann's 1952 resource on the dragon robes of imperial China. This book is divided into two sections. The first section examines various aspects of the dragon robes - their history, the symbols used on them, how they are made and dyed, and the issues concerning the dating of dragon robes. The second section discusses related robes like unofficial dragon-figured robes, women's court robes and vests, men's Ch'ing court robes, robes worn by the Taiping rebels and dragon robes found in other lands. With black and white illustrations and a glossary in Wade-Giles and Chinese.
The Book of Batik
by Kerlogue, Fiona
This is the definitive study of Indonesian batik, a glorious textile art and famed cloth rich in symbolism, now in demand all over the world. With over 200 photographs, The Book of Batik explores the origins of batik, the materials and methods of production, regional traditions and differences, motifs and meanings, modern influences, batik as costume and as an art form. A list of international batik collections, bibliography, glossary, map of Indonesia's batik-producing centres and an extensive index compete this authoritative yet accessible work.
Islamic Arts (Reprinted 2005)
by Bloom, Jonathan; Sheila Blair
A comprehensive survey covering a thousand years of Islamic arts, from early Arabic script at the time of Muhammad to woven arts in the 19th century, this book highlights those characteristics that connect the various arts of the Islamic lands without minimizing the differences. The book is divided into three time periods - 600-900, 900-1500 and 1500-1800 - and each section analyses Islamic architecture, books, and applied arts. Written in a lively and accessible style, this book brilliantly captures the essence of Islamic culture and provides an essential introduction to the student and general reader.
Shopsmart Singapore: The Unbiased Guide for Those Who Love (and Hate) to Shop
Shopsmart Singapore is a shopping resource on this island nation based on countless hours of legwork by resident reporters, each expert in their individual fields. Packed with reviews of the best retail and wholesale suppliers of everything, from antiques to hi-fi equipment, fashion to food, beauty services to bicycles, this groundbreaking guide is invaluable to visitors and residents alike. Supported by regular website updates and revised editions, it contains easily navigable maps, cultural insights and practical advice. This guide is printed on environmentally friendly paper and 10% of the publisher's profits go to charities.
