MMB Chapter 322 Restoring the ivory silk process
Chapter 322 Restoring the ivory silk process
Chapter 322 Restoring the ivory silk process
The ivory silk mat is definitely the pinnacle of the traditional handicraft bamboo silk. It takes hundreds of ivory to make an ivory silk mat, and an inch of gold is not enough to describe its preciousness.
Even the extravagant Qing Dynasty could not afford such mats.
If anyone in the Qing Dynasty owned one, let alone an ivory silk mat, or other ivory silk products, such as cattail fans, the rest of the royal family would be envious and jealous.
Later, Emperor Yongzheng felt that this ivory silk product was too wasteful, so he ordered to ban the production of this ivory silk product as a tribute.
Since then, the silk craft of ivory silk products has been lost.
It is a pity that this superb bamboo silk technique has been lost, so Zhang Junping wholeheartedly wants to restore this bamboo silk technique.
Zhang Junping went to Shanghai this time to find someone. He went to the Shanghai Ivory Carving Handicraft Factory to find a master to help him realize his wish.
Taking the letter of introduction, Zhang Junping searched all the way to find Shanghai Ivory Carving Handicraft Factory.
The history of ivory carving is also very long, dating back more than 4000 years.
After the opening of Shanghai, a large amount of ivory poured into the port of Shanghai. With the influx of ivory, ivory artists from Fujian, Jiangsu and other places also came to Shanghai one after another. Engraving.
For a time, the ivory carving industry in Shanghai flourished.
Some bamboo and stone carving artists in Shanghai also joined in and turned to ivory carving production, which made the ivory industry in Shanghai more prosperous.
Most of the ivory products at that time were high-end daily necessities, including ivory chopsticks, cigarette holders, stamps, combs, grates, fan bones and fan handles, etc.
During the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, the skilled craftsmen in the ivory workshops in the Nanshi Town God's Temple carved Buddha statues, black pieces and animal pieces and other ivory handicrafts, which were loved by antique dealers and collectors at home and abroad, and gradually became a major category of export handicrafts.
In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, due to fundamental changes in the social structure, new production and sales channels had not yet been established, and the ivory carving industry was at a standstill. There were only 20 ivory carving artists left in Shanghai.
By 1958, there were only 18 ivory carving artists left. Under the coordination of the government, a production team was established in the Shanghai Jade Carving Factory.
Shanghai Ivory Carving Handicraft Factory was developed on the basis of this ivory carving group.
The person Zhang Junping is looking for is Chen Jinlong, the leader of the ivory carving team of the Shanghai Ivory Carving Factory.
After a lot of talking, Zhang Junping met Chen Jinlong in the studio of the ivory carving team.
Chen Jinlong is a middle-aged man in his 40s. He is not tall, only 1.6 meters to less than 1.7 meters. He wears thick glasses and looks gentle.
"Hello, Team Leader Chen, my name is Zhang Junping, Mr. Wang Shixiang introduced me to you..."
"You are Xiao Zhang. Brother Wang called me and said that you asked me about ivory silk products..." Chen Jinlong adjusted his glasses, looked at Zhang Junping, and then smiled.
Zhang Junping thought to himself, this old Wang Shixiang is really interesting, as soon as he said it, he tried his best to help contact Chen Jinlong.
He grinned and said, "Yes, I would like to ask Group Leader Chen about some things about the craftsmanship of ivory silk products."
"This... I don't dare to ask for advice. Since it was introduced by Mr. Wang, if there is anything I can help, I will definitely help!" Chen Jinlong was very straightforward.
Zhang Junping glanced around, this studio is a public studio, more than a dozen craftsmen are processing ivory handicrafts.
These craftsmen use half-mechanical and half-manual processing techniques. Although the noise in the entire studio is not too loud, there is still some noise, which is obviously not a good place to talk about things. "Group Leader Chen, is it convenient for you to find a place to talk in detail? I know you have always wanted to restore the craftsmanship of ivory silk products. Maybe I can provide you with some help, such as funds, materials, etc."
"Okay, let's go to my office to talk!" Chen Jinlong also realized that this is not a place to talk about things, and invited with a smile.
The leader of the ivory carving team in the ivory carving handicraft factory is equivalent to the workshop director, a middle-level leader, and has his own office.
Let Zhang Junping into his office and make Zhang Junping a cup of tea.
"Xiao Zhang... Is it okay for me to call you Xiao Zhang?"
"no problem!"
"You just said that you came to me to study ivory silk products? We shouldn't know each other? I don't know the craft of ivory silk fabrics either, you..." Although Chen Jinlong didn't say what he said later, the meaning was very clear.
He didn't know one or two people, and he didn't know the craftsmanship of ivory silk fabrics. Why did Zhang Junping find him.
"First, Team Leader Chen is the leader of the ivory carving team, and his understanding of ivory is much better than ordinary people." Zhang Junping explained with a smile: "Second, although we don't know each other, I and the Forbidden City Research Institute The experts are very familiar with them. Hearing them talk about Team Leader Chen, he naturally knows that Team Leader Chen wants to restore the craftsmanship of ivory silk products.
As for me, the purpose of finding Team Leader Chen is very simple, that is, to cooperate with Team Leader Chen to jointly research, restore, and replicate the manufacturing process of ivory silk products.
As I said just now, I can't help you with other things, but I have money and connections to import a large amount of ivory from Africa. "Zhang Junping was very straightforward, without going around in circles, he directly stated his purpose, and also stated his own advantages.
Chen Jinlong has long had the idea of restoring the craft of ivory silk, and has conducted research on some materials, and also used the convenience of his work to conduct some experiments with ivory leftovers.
He also summed up some experience, but he was stuck in the lack of sufficient funding and experimental materials for him to conduct in-depth research, so so far there has been little progress in the research of ivory silk technology.
"Can you provide me with ivory and research funding?" Chen Jinlong was a little dazed, the surprise came too suddenly, a little unreal.
"Yes!" Zhang Junping nodded affirmatively.
"Then what do I need to do?" Chen Jinlong was not a child, he was not dazzled by the sudden surprise, and asked calmly.
"Calling ivory carving craftsmen to concentrate on the research of ivory silk crafts and the substitute of ivory, the main material in ivory silk crafts.
I will provide you with sufficient funds, main materials, as well as researchers' salaries, bonuses and various benefits. "
"Then what do you want?" Chen Jinlong asked.
Chen Jinlong absolutely does not believe that Zhang Junping paid so much, purely for the sake of love, and selflessly to restore the craftsmanship of ivory silk.
"What I want is very simple, that is, the process patent of the ivory silk process substitute.
For example, the production patent of horn silk products. "Zhang Junping laughed.
"Patent?" Chen Jinlong was a little puzzled.
The word patent was still very unfamiliar in the 80s, and everyone did not have the concept of patent at all.
There used to be some large enterprises, more foresighted enterprises, invested a lot of money in the research of advanced production technology, and finally, after achieving results, they went bankrupt one after another.
(End of this chapter)