Antiques, Curios, Collectables. Tin toys, Musical instruments, Ephemera, Bronze
Lot 15:
Description
This lot comprises a vintage Chinese suanpan (abacus) set produced for the international export market. The abacus features a 13-column configuration with a wooden frame and metal rods. Each rod carries seven dark-stained wooden beads arranged in the traditional 2/5 style, with two upper beads and five lower beads. The set is housed in a hinged wooden presentation case with a dark reddish-brown exterior finish. The lid is embellished with a central gold-tone oval medallion depicting two figures in a landscape setting, complemented by foliate scrollwork in the corners. The interior of the case is lined with paper printed with columns of Chinese calligraphy, including moral aphorisms and instructional diagrams. Identifiable characters include jiajie (family admonition) and ziguan (contentment), suggesting the text is derived from traditional teachings such as Zeng Guang Xian Wen. Included with the set is a soft-cover paper instructional manual titled The Fundamental Operations: Bead-Arithmetic – How to Use the Chinese Abacus. The cover of the booklet features a woodcut-style illustration of a teacher and students.
Case length: 23 cm
Case width: 11.5 cm.
Condition report:
The set is in good vintage condition overall. The wooden case exhibits surface wear, minor scuffs, and some loss to the decorative gold-tone finish consistent with age. The interior paper lining shows typical age-related discolouration and wear at the hinges. The abacus appears complete and is in functional condition. The instructional booklet shows minor creasing and age-toning to the paper but remains intact.
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