Chinese Whatsit. Another charity auction win. Soapstone I doubt.

They gladly accepted my check. No one would doubt that amount would be covered.

Anyway, what did I get? Thought it was a vase. Is it? Hollow part is about standard candle width all the way to the bottom.
Anything and everything you can tell me I shall try to retain. No promises. But I will appreciate it all.
It's seven inches tall and and 3 3/4 at widest.
Should it be cleaned? ~~

~~

 

Almost forgot. Weighs 2 3/4 LB and that sticker that was on the bottom said, "Tourist trade only. Sale to a comrade will bring heavy penalties."

 

Made in Italy, synthetic resin?

 

So it came from a Communist place, where only sale to tourists was allowed? Why would it say that in English, though?

 

It was in Chinese. Kidding.

The charity is a good one and fun. No one expects to walk out with a prize. I posted the little glass vase because I was curios and figured I might as well put this one up, too.

(Actually, to Gila, I knew I could get decent pics of this, unlike the glass one.)

Did you ever go to what some call a "Scotch Auction?"
You can go bankrupt with that one. Especially when they serve alcohol.

 

You got me, OG!

And I WILL get you back!

 

A Scotch auction I attended was my first. It was for a special charitable cause. And just by one organization to which we all belonged.

The auction was conducted exactly as any other ones. Everyone raised their hand to bid. (About 150 people, everybody new everybody, no cards needed.)
There were about 100 items, mostly nice donations and some fun things of no real value.

Only difference was that every bid made was recorded and the bidder OWED that amount. Win or not. You owed what you bid.
Example;
Tom opened the bidding at $10. Jim bid $20. Paul bid $30, Tom came back at $40. and Jim bid $50. Then Mike bid $60, Tom $70 and Paul finally won it at $80.

Tom then owed $10, $40, $70. Total $120.
Jim - $20, $50. Total $70.
Paul - $30, $80. Total $110.
Mike - $60.
Three Hundred and sixty dollars was collected and paid for that one item.

Just about all of us had to go to the office the next day with our check books.

I won three items and complained to the lady who accompanied me that I didn't get the one I really wanted.

When we got home she went back to the garage and returned with that tray behind her back. I still have and still love it. She never let me know what the hell she paid for it.

 

How sweet, OG.

Scotch auction? That sounds like something My Uncle Cisco would dream up. He sells used cars and boats, and hustles his buddies' money at poker games, and also calls Bingo at church, for which he gets a cut of the night's take. He gives a kiss to the winning lady (or cigar to the winning man) so he drives the take right out the roof. Over the roof? Through the roof! You knew what I meant.

 

If you look closely and see it's hand carved and the carving reveals layers, it would be "cinnabar." But I think yours is faux, because of the saw marks on the bottom and the pinholes, indicating it is a poured resin...

"Cinnabar" is actually Chinese lacquer ware and can be colors other than the red mineral cinnabar it emulates... the lacquer is a build of many thin layers, which is what makes it precious or valuable.



Here's what the bottom surface would look like.


Mineral cinnabar - jadelike:


This (lengthy) Rubylane article on cinnabar/lacquerware gives a much clearer explanation of what is real and fake and how lacquerware is made, which I find fascinating.

Sale or five finger discount of trade or tourist market wares would be hurtful/disloyal to the Chinese economy and culture, as these pieces are not "best quality." I hope someone else can supply an explanation of "Tourist Trade," just so I don't have to use the word "which" again this morning

I only know a little about it, but would love to learn more.

 

Thanks, Scout. I figured mine was made a few days before I bought it, and you are many times ahead of me.
SO MAYBE you can tell me what it's supposed to be used for. Candlestick? I'm skeptical about that, frankly, thinking the whole thing could go up in flames.

 

It could still be vintage, and may even have *some* hand carving. The tag itself is kind of a cool feature.

It's a vase, right?

I searched for faux cinnabar... This vase is described as hand carved, which I can't say for sure is correct, but it resembles yours:

 

Scout, thanks VERY MUCH. I didn't even know what to search.

Not similar, almost an exact match. Only slight difference on the two pics with people in them. Top and bottom are identical. For me that price is high, but with free shipping might actually sell. This is where I usually jump in. $28.50 free shipping.