CHINESE IDEAS OF ANTIQUES 53 



years, will be sky blue and pumpkin green respectively, then 

 the question immediately arises as to how such colours as 

 vermilion red, quicksilver, black varnish, coarse grey, and 

 ancient earth colours are developed. We must therefore 

 conclude that Ts'ao Ming P'an's theory is very incomplete 

 at best, and must look for other causes to fully explain the 

 varied phenomena to be found in existing antiques. 



The curio shops all display antiques of various kinds, 

 and among them will be found some that have been 

 submerged in water for many years. On these articles certain 

 well defined and distinct water lines will be found. These 

 water marks indicate the ebb and flow of the water through- 

 out a long period of years. Such wares may safely be 

 accepted as having been submerged in water. The colour 

 of this class of ware is generally a pure cerulean blue, but if 

 the article has been deposited at the bottom of a pool there 

 will be a tendency to a yellowish colour. 



Most copper wares become imbued with the " flavour " 

 of the earth or water proximate to them. Some acquire 

 these proximate hues by being soaked in water, others 

 by being steamed in the earth by the damp arising from 

 the action of the rays of the sun. The colours adhering to 

 articles which have been soaked are devoid of either indenta- 

 tion or protuberation. Those taken from fountains show 

 decided water lines. Those excavated from the earth have 

 much of the colour of the adjacent soil adhering to them. 

 If the latter have been much exposed to the power of the 

 sun's rays, the steaming will have produced many little 

 dimples in their surface resembling the pores in the skin of 

 an orange. If the steaming process has continued for a 

 lengthened period of years, then decided indentations and 

 protuberations take the place of the dimples. If either 

 the ear^h or water should happen to be charged with salts, 

 or acids, the colour will be dotted over with blue, green or 

 vermilion dimples. If the earth or water is heavily charged 

 with yellow ochre, pipe clay, or red chalk, then the various 

 articles will take on hues of their immediate surroundings. 

 If copper wares assume a jet black, purple, or coarse grey 

 baize colour it affords evidence that they have been deposited 

 in a high and dry place, such as brick built graves, stone 

 hewn caves, stone ledge beds and tables, or in some place 

 where neither the influence of the earth nor water has been 

 able to corrode them, and where only the proximate action 

 arising from the influences of a dead body, with which they 

 have been interred, alone steamed and corroded them. 



Copper wares which have been deposited in ancient 

 graves and have been in contact with the dead are mostly 



