New tat or slightly old tat?

[mariok54]

Hi KC,
That's really pretty much in the same style ... nice research!
 Not sure when you say ... In fact, I wonder if this is where your purse/tote came from....just transformed  if you mean that it started life as a brush pot ... I think that it's probably always been a purse/bag.
On that Google pics link you gave I scrolled down and found a nice site Tang Antiques, so just popped them an e-mail with photos and asked them... never know, they may reply   

[talesofthesevenseas]

The mechanism to attach/remove the handle is the same as on my wooden Chinese tea buckets. I have a collection of five and the handles all attach the same way, with a swing-out section that allows the handle to be removed, and then latches it securely into place and enables it to support quite a bit of weight. My understanding is that these are about 80 to 100 years old. I'll post some photos later.

[mariok54]

That's an interesting observation Tales .. another hint that it  may be Chinese

I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a philistine now calling it 'tat' 

[Oceans64]

I'll admit when you said "tat" I was thinking of tattoos before opening the thread.  I was a bit worried we were going to find out more info than we need to know about you Mario...

altho I was intrigued how you wouldn't know the date of a tattoo...

[mariok54]

Apologies Oceans ... 

[hosman321]

It's been giving me a 1920's-1940's vibe ever since I first looked at it. Possibly a tourist item? It does have age and doesn't look brand new to me. I don't know, that's just my idea.
I thought the same thing about tattoos! What does tat mean on your side of the pond?

[Oceans64]

hehehe - no prob Mario.  Nothing against tattoos mind you, I was just worried you woke up with one and didn't know if it was new or from a prior "fun evening".... 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Here's a photo of one of the Chinese "tea buckets" from my collection of five. These were used to keep a traditional, straight-sided Chinese teapot warm. The spout would stick out through the hole in the front and the bucket could be carried out into the fields or wherever you wished. The handle has the same swing-out peg design as on Mariok's bamboo purse.

[mariok54]

Lovely tea buckets Tales, and I'd never even seen one before ... and the 'lock' certainly is the same.

[mariok54]

I wrote:

Ref:  Japanese Bamboo Carved Purse, Edo - JI97326

Good Morning,

I hope that you don't mind me asking, but I am curious as to how you can be sure that this item is  late Edo period. I have been trying to research it and have come across one other very similar piece which is incomplete (replacement handle) but not described as Japanese.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350422038115#ht_10840wt_1026

Other than that piece I cannot find any other reference to bamboo Japanese purses of that era.

Kindest Regards


They replied:

Thanks for your inquiry.  Unfortunately, we can no longer offer information and/or appraisal services, or we'd be so overwhelmed we'd have to give up our retail business! However, we suggest you try the following links:
http://www.appraisalday.com
http://www.eppraisals.com
You might also consider contacting by phone any of the three licensed appraisal firms listed below:
Butterfield's
Christie's
Sotheby's

Jcollector Staff
www.Jcollector.com




I've since responded with:

Good Morning,

I am sorry if there was a slight misunderstanding, but I was not asking for an appraisal, only trying to establish the provenance of the bamboo bag that you have for sale.

Kindest Regards

Let's see what they say

[hosman321]

With the energy it took them to write that detailed response, they could have just told you about their item. It's called courtesy. You didn't ask for an appraisal or specific details about yours, you just asked about theirs. Geeeeze people these days.

[mariok54]

I know, Hosman, .. courtesy seems to be a thing of the past with so many people.

You will note that I deliberately didn't mention that I had a similar one, otherwise I'd have expected short shrift     which is what I received anyway 

[hosman321]

Next time, I wouldn't mention another one at all. I'd just act like I was interested in theirs. Ask how they determined the item was from the period, if the item has any provenance and if they guarantee it is original. Then they will think you want theirs.

[wendy177]

Mariok very difficult to sell a piece of that price without proof of it being what they say it is. I would guess they have no proof. I have searched several of my antique purse books and have found nothing recorded of a piece like yours, This could be good or bad I think I have a few more books to dig out & will take a peek later today.

[mariok54]

Hi Wendy... I agree with you there, but if they have no proof then they certainly have nerve!  


and what did Hosman say earlier on?


I'm just trying to figure out what is making all those sellers so confident that these pieces are all 120-200 years old. Seems a bit hard to tell the age of them and it seems like they would be easily and frequently reproduced. Not trying to be rude, I'm just confused and inexperienced. 

Maybe some of these sellers are also inexperienced and confused