2015.38.3, metal box with porcelain shard lid
Private collection; photo by T. Ocken
2015.38.3, metal box with porcelain shard lid
Private collection; photo by T. Ocken
Here is a second example of a porcelain shard turned into a box lid, taking advantage of vases smashed by the Red Guard. The box was purchased in Albuquerque's Nob Hill district in the early 2000s and measures about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) square.
The box shown on the previous page was wood; this one is a of a silvery metal—probably a copper-nickel alloy of the type known as "nickel silver." The Chinese invented paktong, the first such alloy, in the 1100s but Europeans were unable to develop a substitute until the mid-1700s. The first successful imitations came from Germany, and to this day such alloys are sometimes called "German silver." While we present this box for its ties to Chinese ceramic artistry and to the destruction of porcelain pieces during the Cultural Revolution, it also serves as a reminder of China's pioneering work in metallurgy.
The next photo shows the flower motif on the side of the metal box.
Photo by T. Ocken
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