Evening star., 1937-08-15
By Louise WasseU.


TROM far across the China Sea
- has recently been delivered te
Violet Sweet Haven of Wash
4 ington II cases of Oriental
treasures. These gems of the Far East
were purchased by the "globe-trotter'
last April during sojourn in Hong
kong, the last stop on her trans
Pacific fight aboard the famous
China Clipper.
Camphor chests We'd with Pekine
rugs, pewter mugs. teakwood chow
benches, China teapots and cloisonne
vases as the collector of customs
checked-one by one-the varied as
sortment. "Hankow road. a narrow
canyonlike street in Hongkong,' Miss
Haven explained, was the last home
Of many of these antiques"
But for the long journey, these ex-
quisite pieces of Chinese art seemed
perfectly at ease in their new Wash
ington home. Tall dragon lamps,
lighted from soft vari-colored silk
lanterns, stand sentinel to opium
stools. Massive camphor and teak
wood chests rest beside diminutive
teapots. shadoWed by filigreed screens,
all hand-carved Cantonese blackwood
from the south of China.
The pungent spiciness of the teak
adds zest." the collector of Asiatic
treasures said, while the aroma tic
fumes of the camphor lend a peace
full, dreamy Oriental atmosphere to
ones surroundings, constant re-
minder of my life in the Far East"
Calling attention to the magnifi-
Gently carved blackWood dragon arti-
cles, Il found these" Miss Haven
said, ION the KoWloon side of Hong
kong. TWO young Chinese boys at
Hing Loongs brought out their best
Foochow lacquer, old brass and bronze
ware, with jade quartz and Peking
cloisonne. To enhance the charm
these clever sales boys grouped opium
stools, chow benches and carved fire
screens so artistically that I could not
resist them-as you see."
pERHAPS the lovellest OF all were
the teak chests carved heavily
with iintikshas. Chinese junks, dra-
gons and pagodas, the tops and sides
of which were mass of inch-deep
carvings, showing distinct types Of
Chinese culture.
1t took the untiring labor of a
whole family" the globe-trotter said
more than year to carve the largest
chests. This family of wood carvers
is only one of a legion of cultural
China who inherit this handicraft
from generations of ancestors. Just
as some Chinese live a lifetime on
Junks," she continued, making up
the nomadlc population Of the rivers
of Cathay, these woodcarvers live on
land, decade after decade within the
confines of their workshops"
An old sea captain with whom Miss
Haven had sailed the Pacific, the
Caribbean and the Atlantic had often
told her of the Chinese craftsman
ship. "On each voyage" she said,
'the skipper would unravel alluring
tales of the fascinating fandangles
KWoon Fat had woven into his cary
ings at the little Canton shop on koW-
loon row. Therefore, when we reached
our eastern destination in April We
headed post haste to the place of my
dreams" she added, "and this is the
result"
AS she entered the shop, Miss Ha-
ven related, a Withered old Chinaman,
q master craftsman, at his work
bench, paused long enough to nod
silent greeting to our friendly group
the skipper and some others who had
been visiting the carvers shop time
and again during the past 80 years.
The old man smiled with pride"
she said, las we stopped to admire
o chest heavily embossed with de-
sign depicting the evolution of Chinese
sea craft from the tiniest junk to
the modern sailing vessels. That is
the romantic history that surrounds
this smaller chest"
HOLDING up hand-carved
Buddha lamp, You know" Miss
Haven said, with a far-off look in
her eyes, wood carving has always
fascinated me- I can wax into a
tangent on the subject. This art is
of the highest antiquity. Even among
the most uncivilized tribes, rudely
carved representatives in wood are
common"
The early history of the Chinese
Is shrouded in fable but it is an ac-
cepted fact among most historians that
civilization had advanced among them
when 1t was only beginning to dawn
on the nations Of Europe. In the
early and middle ages" she said. wood
carving became somewhat general for
symbols and decorations. This old
BuddhA is supposed to have existed
about the fifth century BIC. He was
vorshipped as the Wise One" or
Enlightened One"
In this perfect Oriental setting, a
Chinese dinner set caught the eye.
Is consisted Of 80 pieces. all hand
painted with rose medallions and
peopled with dainty Chinese figures.
There were bouillon cups and saucers,
Chinese spoons, curry sets with lac
quered boxes, teapots and the like.
In contrast, nearby stood vivid blue
eloisonne vases and bowls elaborately
inlaid with copper and gold dragons
and . huge punch bowl Above it
Oh the musical sound Of . massive
dinner gong played tricks With ones
Imagination.