The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

now TO MAKE ANTIQUE BRONZES. 295
' Kioto is famous in the rest of the
world for its mannfactures of porcelain of
various kinds, and also for its bronzes and
silk goods. There is a large trade in Kioto
ware, aTid everybody says that is is increas-
ing. At any rate, the prices they ask here
are as high as in Yokohama for the same
kind of articles, and some things are really
dearer here than there. Some of the work
in bronze is very fine, and I can tell yon a
funny stor}' about the way the merchants
prepare goods for the market. The incident
AN ARTIST AT WUUK.
happened yesterday, when we were in
whom we liad met at the hotel.
a shop with a gentleman from Kobe
'' This gentleman was admiring a pair of very old vases ; there was no
doubt about their age, as they were eaten in several places with verdigris,
and were covered in spots with dried earth. When he asked the price, he
was astonished at the low figure demanded, and immediately said he would
take them. Then he asked the shopkeeper if he had any more like thenj.
LANTERN-MAKEK AT KIOTO.
" ' I haven't any,' the
dealer replied, ' but I cau
make anything you want
to order.'
" The gentleman said
he didn't want new vases,
but old ones, and thereupon
the dealer said,
" ' I'll make old vases
for you if yoa want
them—will make them
just as I made these.'
"We learned how it
is that they get up this
old ware ; at least, we
were told so by a man
who claims to know.
' Boil the bronzes in strong vinegar,' he says, ' for several hours ; and if you
want to make them look very old, you must put some acid in the vinegar.
You want the strongest vinegar that can be found, and the bronze must
be cleaned of all grease before it is boiled.