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Cao Zhao 曹昭: Gegu yaolun 格古要論 (1387)

(Important discussions about assessing antiques) 

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The Gegu yaolun 格古要論 "Important discussions about assessing antiques" is a treatise on collecting and assessing antiques. It was written by the early Ming period collector Cao Zhao 曹昭, who came from Songjiang near modern Shanghai. His book was finished in 1387 and is divided into 3 juan "scrolls" that describe antiques in 13 topics.

Taken from: https://www.kanripo.org/text/KR3j0170/002

Sir Percival David, Chinese Connoisseurship: The Essential Criteria of Antiquities,

 

Ivory

Out of the West and Southern Fan (Nan Fan)(3) countries and Jiaozhi (1) and Guangxi  (2) provinces but the Nan Fan are bigger and heavier.

Those who are short and new are better to work.

 

Note: In the book; Chinese Ivories: From the Shang to the Qing : an Exhibition (Oriental Ceramic Society) it is added that with Nan Fan, likely Africa is meant, since the term Western Barbarians (Xi Fan) covers south-east Asia.

 

Jiang pig teeth

Out of the Southern Fan countries, such as jujube texture, fine and similar to ivory

More for knife handles is false white ivory.

 

Ambergris (Long saliva)

From Dashi country (Arabia). It is without smell and veins of color white such as 100 dried drugs and can also be greasy black and can be made to fit all fragrant spice.

 

(In this work is also found the first mention of the Devil-work Balls -gui gong qiu- of ivory)

I have seen a hollow-centred ivory ball, which  had two concentric balls inside it, which can both  revolve. It is called ‘witch ball’. I was told that it  was made for the Palaces of the Song dynasty.