Sandalwood is extremely slow growing given the size of the frame in question, if it is made from Sandalwood the tree would of been very old. Sandalwood is the worlds most expensive timber. It is rarely used for carving or furniture making. It is mostly used for incense or in the making of perfume. Not native in China but has long been imported to China for use as incense.  Unable to tell from photos if the mirror frame is Sandalwood would need to handle. Sandalwood retains it's very strong odor for a very long time after being cut down so would need to give it the nose test to determine if it is Sandalwood. If it is Sandalwood given it's size it would be quite rare. It is well carved with nice undercutting to give depth and shadow. Dating is extremely difficult but would expect to see more cracking and perhaps the timber to have darkened more if the mirror frame had great age, so late 19th to mid 20thc seems about right. At just over $500.00 given the quality of the carving and the potential of a rare and expensive timber I suppose the market found the right price. 

Have included a link with information on Sandalwood for those members who may be interested.

Cheers

Michael.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandalwood

It's a desirable carving. It could be earlier. I just side on caution.

I know @Brettm knows more about these than I.

Gotheborg website is now I believe up and running. Full steam ahead!

Mark 

Hi Dave,

A nice looking sandalwood carving.

I dont think it's that old but it's profusely carved in good detail. So perhaps circa 1900.

Mark 

Hi Mark, 

I guessed it was possibly 20th century, but still comparable in quality to the gilt wood examples that Peter showed in his video last year. However it is getting a little too high for me to bid on now. 

Just read the Gotheborg article, now that’s detail. To be honest the chemistry lesson is well above my pay grade but I did glean some learning about looking for slight brown blotches in Ming red should I ever get to handle such a rare peice, never mind being able to afford it. The fake example posted at the bottom of the page I think would fool many but the wisest.

Short Dong, for the money your talking about on your plates I can’t see how you could go wrong, the server well over a hundred years old for a 10’r has to be a good deal. The Qainlong over two hundred and with a bit of character, has to be worth the £12 it brought. As many my recall I have a soft spot for period repairs, it shows it has had a life beyond the China cabinet. But that’s just me.

Ron

I agree Ron, i am a little too tight with my pennies because I would have bought the qianlong plates too but the seller did not respond about combined postage before the auction ended. My fault as i was late asking about it. He did eventually respond. 

I should have just grabbed the 2 plates in good condition and run. 

What has happened with Gotheborg

A nice looking sandalwood carving.

I dont think it's that old but it's profusely carved in good detail. So perhaps circa 1900.

Mark 

Short Dong, for the money your talking about on your plates I can’t see how you could go wrong, the server well over a hundred years old for a 10’r has to be a good deal. The Qainlong over two hundred and with a bit of character, has to be worth the £12 it brought. As many my recall I have a soft spot for period repairs, it shows it has had a life beyond the China cabinet. But that’s just me.

Ron

This is quite lovely. I recall Peter had shown a seller in California selling carved  Gilted wood panels. These seem different but what a pretty Mirror.  

Mind you i have seen some selections of Spode plates sell for 200 euro so who knows.

Anyway they do look similar. So I am thinking £20 all in is better than 110 euro not including the percentage 21+ %

JE from Gotheborg said recently that 18th century export is knee deep in Europe right now. I’m figuring this is a metaphor for not selling well.

The big Nanking plate sold for £12.50 and i ledt a bid as a simlar sized plate sold for £100 in a recent auction last week. So I just thought it would be just fine to grab one for a fraction and I dont mind staples but i was not sure if it was genuine as buyers were not interested.  

The 2 other plates did not sell and had a starting bid of £10.50 and regular postage price £5. 

I have a fair idea of the price of antique Chinese Blue and white, I am by no means able to tell a qianlong from Kangxi but i can usually tell if they are genuine Antique blue and white. 

My point being that i do more or less follow the price, and in the last 2 weeks the bottom has fallen out of the market. I have never seen prices this low, or bids not filling at prices this low. Basically the buyers are not here. However I do not belive this is indicative of the overall market but that demand has dropped due to circusmtances.

Also yongzeng plates are also strruggling to find good prices and these were until very recently enjoying a good upsurge in price. 

You might expect these (listed as qianlong) to go for £10 but they did not have any bids. Unsold. The left hand plate has no cracks or hairlines.