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Cloisonne vase factory and market in China - Sapphire Princess Orient Cruise Review Pictures
On the way back from the Great Wall we stopped at a factory where they
make what I have always thought of as "Ming Vases", they are
of course, called cloisonne vases I guess.
I was astonished to discover
that they start with a copper vase, hammered into shape on a mold. There
are a number of steps including gluing on tiny little pieces of copper,
which are then filled with ceramic material, fired, done again, etc. and
then painted and polished. A whole lot of work. They are
certainly beautiful when they are completed though.
The Cloisonné factory.
An example as we go in.
A dude beating the copper into
shape.
All different sizes of course.
Here they are using tweezers
and gluing little pieces of copper to the vases.
Really looks like pain-staking
work.
More of the same process.
See the pile of little tiny
pieces of copper she is using.
These vases are glued and awaiting the ceramic filling process.
It takes a whole lot of little pieces to do one of these babies.
Now the ceramic material is
filled into the spaces between the tiny pieces of copper.
More of the same.
These have been filled and fired. Still more work to go.
After more filling and
painting and roasting...
This is where they roast them...ok where the fire them.
This guy is polishing them after the firing.
Filled and fired...ready for
more filling and painting I think.
We finally make it into the showroom.
Not just vases though...all
kinds of things from dogs to plates.
Pretty good sized show room
too.
A big vase...this must have taken a while.
Kathy had to buy a few little trinkets...better than lots of big
trinkets I guess.