Puzzling Evidence - What About Cloisonne Beads from Taiwan? (Part 2)

How do I know these beads were made in Taiwan?

The evidence of these sample sets seems conclusive, considering the other appearances of the circle K trademark stamp as discussed in Part 1 of this series on Taiwan cloisonné. 

Australian eBay vendor bewitchingitems has an example of a designer necklace by Sandra David that she has owned since the 1980s, which is consistent with the 1978-1987 time frame of the “Kloison K” trademark of Robert Kuo.

While it’s possible the beads were manufactured in Beverly Hills, it seems more likely that the Kuo atelier in Taipei, Taiwan was the production site for the beads, simply from an economics point of view.

Are there two different styles in the beads? 

Beads in the style of the boxed sets

Beads in the style the boxed sets and of other Kuo cloisonne items.  The capsule-shaped piece is a barrel clasp.

There is an evident similarity between this Kuo bowl and the design of the large bead in the photo above.

Kuo or no?

Are all the beads from the same workshop?  Different artisans? Evolving style? A different workshop owned by a competitor?  Puzzling evidence.

What about items like these?  Kuo or no?  

Puzzling Evidence - What About Cloisonne Beads from Taiwan? (Part 1)

After some time spent watching online auction sales for cloisonné, I noticed a number of stylistic trends in the offerings, one of which is so distinctive as to really stand out from the pack.  Some of the tell-tale features include:

•   a splashy, painterly technique of blending bright enamels
  
•  hot orange and red enamels
  
•  transparent enamels, especially a beautiful rose and a teal green/blue
  
•  jewel-toned motifs on a cream background
• innovative interpretations of traditional Chinese motifs, including a distinctive dove-like bird
  
•  tight, energetic curves
• swirling, flowing lines on butterflies, foliage
•  tiny circles employed as background motifs, unlike the little clouds and spirals used in mainland cloisonné
  

Pieces found in online auctions sometimes have an intact trademark stamp – a circle enclosing a capital letter “K”, accompanied by “Made in Taiwan” or “Made in Republic of China” or a string of Chinese characters either alongside or as a surrounding circle.

Vendor stated, "The bracelet on the left is stamped Made In Taiwan.  The bracelet on the right is stamped Made In Republic of China."

On page 73 of Arthur and Grace Chu’s book Oriental Cloisonné and Other Enamels, copyright 1975, this photo and caption appear:

Published in 1975.  "Recent import from Taiwan."

A distinctive bracelet of chain-linked rectangles seems to share a similar style:

The round pieces are buttons.

One eBay vendor described one of these bangles as “German modernist from the 1950s,” but a Google images search on Scholtz & Lammel (German cloisonne design from the 1950s-60s) reveals only a very slight resemblance between the German bracelets and those from Taiwan – i.e., the German logo is an “S” inside a circle, and the bracelets are often made in linked cloisonné rectangles. 

An Internet search revealed a very similar trademark registered in 1978 for “Kloison K” by Robert Kuo in Beverly Hills, California.  

The logo also appears in other forms (note the similarity to the circle "K" with Chinese characters on the bangles at the start of this post):

Following the bread crumbs, I discovered Robert Kuo’s work.  From his website biography:

Born in Beijing, he moved with his family to Taiwan in 1947. Kuo grew up in an artistic environment. His father, an art professor and Chinese watercolor painter, started a cloisonne atelier where Robert became an apprentice at age fifteen. Although he never engaged in formal art studies, Kuo gained technical expertise and learned about decorative tradition from "hands on" training. As he mastered each of the steps involved in cloisonne from preparing copper bases to enameling and firing the kilns, Kuo absorbed all the basics that were to serve him throughout his artistic career.

While pursuing his studies in Taipei, Kuo assisted his father in the creation of a cloisonne studio. A visit to the United States persuaded the young artist/entrepreneur that the American environment would benefit him, both personally and professionally. In 1973, he immigrated to the United States and opened a studio for cloisonne in Beverly Hills. Kuo cultivated a clientele that appreciated the way he "opened up" Chinese tradition. Utilizing the influences of Art Noueau and Art Deco, Kuo introduced new shapes, finishes, and objects to cloisonne.

So what does this have to do with beads?

To be continued…

UPDATE:  Found an interesting tidbit from Taiwan Today, an article dated 9/24/1990 from the Taiwan Journal about Robert Kuo's father, Kuo Ming-chiao.  The early bracelets resemble "German Modernist" cloisonne work because they were, in fact, inspired by German artistry, not traditional Chinese cloisonne?  Puzzling evidence...

Kuo Ming-chiao has dedicated himself to the creation of
cloisonne art for 30 years. He began his artistic career, however, as
a painter, and his works were internationally exhibited and acclaimed
as masterpieces of Chinese painting. He received many awards,
including those presented in Vietnam, Australia and the United
States.

        His painting career came to an abrupt and unexpected halt in a
moment's inspiration which changed his artistic path. While
travelling in Europe to attend an exhibition of his paintings in
1960, he had what he described as an "electrifying experience." In a
marketplace near Cologne, West Germany, he was overwhelmed by the
splendor of the cloisonne art on display. He abandoned his plans to
continue his continental tour, choosing instead to remain in the
small German town to learn the art of cloisonne.

Puzzling Evidence - Monochrome Chinese Cloisonne Beads, Deco or Seventies?

Appearing occasionally in online auctions are necklaces of Chinese cloisonné beads with blue monochrome enamel, sometimes splashed with green.  

Beads measure 9.5mm

A  Deco era origin date is often asserted; but, are these beads actually from the 1920s-1940s?  Evidence from other cloisonné styles indicates that such dating is off by about half a century – these beads were most likely made some time around the 1970s.

Actual Deco Chinese cloisonné pieces with a monochrome appearance, such as bowls, jars, and vases with an overall floral pattern, are made in a peculiar style: a base of the usual range of opaque enamels with a secondary layer of transparent amber, giving an overall brownish tint. 

Photos courtesy of eBay vendor van29900.

What the flowers beneath the amber enamel might look like without the overglaze.

Vases and bowls from the 1930s and 40s with borders of ruyi and rocks/plant shoots also frequently get this treatment, as do the "woody" stems of blossom branches.

Rim and foot from a vase purchased in China in the 1940s.

This light amber seems to be the only transparent enamel used in Chinese cloisonné before the 1960s.

Squirrel and grapes motif, background metal can be seen through the transparent amber enamel.

The CHINA base stamp makes a pre-1950 date likely.

As evidenced by this ashtray, a new method of monochrome cloisonné work was employed during the 1970s, certainly by the JingFa factory.  

eBay vendor powderguy1960 says he purchased this in Hong Kong in 1973.

Matched boxed set sold by Lillian Vernon.

Note typical JingFa reversed symmetry in exactly matching pattern on each vase.

Blue and brown seem most common, with green, red, and purple also showing up in online auctions.  

Close examination reveals a skilled pointillist combination of black, white, and colored enamel grains to achieve a blended ombre effect.

Monochrome beads examined closely display this same mixing of granular enamel particles.

The method of wirework in the design of the flowers also seems more typical of 70s-and-later beads. [UPDATE: the flowers on these beads are very tiny and evenly applied.  Other evidence is starting to make me wonder if an earlier decade is more likely.]

The amber overglaze continued to be used. Large JingFa-style bead, measures 35mm.  Similar large beads can be seen used as lamp finials.

Seller of pendant on the left stated, "I found this in Beijing a the finest cloisonne manufacturer when I visited China in 1996.  It comes from the Beijing Enamel Factory in Chongwen District."

Evidence thus seems to make a 1970s or later attribution for this type of bead more likely than the Art Deco era.

UPDATE: eBay vendor satinskin gave permission to post these pics of a box with the amber monochrome overglaze that was "purchased between 1960-1970 and has never been used."
It shows excellent examples of the type of standardized floral patterns used after the JingFa cloisonne manufacturing cooperative was organized in 1956.  Certain Chinese cloisonne beads also display these floral patterns in miniature, the subject of an upcoming post.

Comparing these box pictures with the pictures of my ginger jars above, what do you think of these beads, which were sold as a Deco-era (1920s-40s) necklace?

UPDATE: Etsy designer pinetreebeads has a beautiful necklace featuring this type of cloisonne bead:  

"The cloisonne beads in this necklace are from the 70's." 

UPDATE: Another necklace, featuring a morning glory clasp:

UPDATE:  eBay vendor eclectomania states that this blue necklace was "purchased at a state-owned Friendship Store in Shanghai, China in 1983."