Unknown Origin
No.
Uo/1
Weight: 190 grams/5+ taels
Date: N/A
Inscriptions: 紋銀
Wen Yin (Wave Silver, or Fine Silver)
Notes:
Collection of the webmaster
No.
Uo/2
Weight: 80 grams/2+ taels
Date: N/A
Inscriptions: 紋銀
Wen Yin (Wave Silver, or Fine Silver)
Notes:
Uo/1 is a type of sycee that, at present, is more difficult to find in China than in some other markets. Many dealers have emphasized that this sycee came from Burma or the neighboring areas.
When looking at this sycee from its side, it's an evident triangle; if turning to its observe, it appares to be derived from Boat sycee. On this piece, there are 4 identical stamps with Chinese inscriptions of "Wen Yin" (Wave Silver, or Fine Silver"), 2 pressed on its face, and 2 on the sides, all of which indicate that this piece and its counterparts originated from some unknown locations in China.
Yunnan and Kueichow are the two provinces in China adjacent to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma, and there was active trading with these countries dating back to before the Ching Dynasty. Based on this relationship, when this type of sycee comes up for sale in those countries. It can be assumed that it should be originally from Yunnan or Kueichow. But, the problem is that the Boat shape was not a typical regional shape either in Yunnan or Kueichow during the peak of the Ching Dynasty.
We know that it seemed to be a common practice in the late Ming period for
some sycee specimens to be pressed with a small stamp of "Wen Yin" on
their faces--such as Mn/3,
or on their sides--such as Mn/1,
while in assaying. As a reasonable assumption, these sycee should be of an early
Ching or late Ming period, at the time when the Boat shape still prevailed
in these two provinces.
Uo/2 were also pressed with the 4 identical stamps as Uo/1's, so these two pieces should have the same origin.
Collection of the webmaster
No.
Uo/3
Weight: 91 grams/2.5 taels
Date: N/A
Inscriptions:
None
Notes:
Basically, this piece is in a Boat shape, but, if looking from its back, it is similar to a Waist shaped sycee. Its weight is just about half of a regular 5 tael Waist silver. Very likely, this strange uninscribed piece could have originated either from Honan or Shansi.
Collection of the webmaster
No.
Uo/4
Weight: 50 taels
Date: 1875-1908 A.D.
Inscriptions: 光緒年月/景順通銀爐
Kuang Hsu Year Month
Jing Soon Tong Silver Furnace
Notes:
Basically, this piece is in a Boat shape, but, if looking from its back, it is similar to a Waist shaped sycee. Its weight is just about half of a regular 5 tael Waist silver. Very likely, this strange uninscribed piece could have originated either from Honan or Shansi.
Notes:
Based on its shape, this piece should originate from Honan, Hobei or another northern provinces of China.
Collection of the webmaster
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