They are crafted in wood, specially treated, lacquered, and then layered with silver, gold, and vermilion leaf. They are traditional cottage industry crafts. The skills to produce them have been handed down from within the family from the ancient past. There are many stages for the development of these works of art, such as gathering the proper wood, selecting the proper piece, carving to fit the character of the wood, treating the finished wood in preparation for the final artwork of ancient lacquering and leafing. The aging and finishing process is unique.
Many pieces look to be centuries old.
Some appear to be cast metal. All are modern works of wood that are sculptured and finished in traditional style. Each took months of work and processing to complete. The long and rich history of Vietnam is more than 4,000 years old. It's written history is more than 2,000 years long.