Rosewood Silver Inlay Techniques: Crafting a Peony-Adorned Jewelry Box

Before it evolved into a distinct craft category, the technique of inlaying silver wire was merely used for the restoration of ancient artifacts and the decoration of their bases. During the Daoguang period, a craftsman named Yao Xueqian, while repairing artifacts for the connoisseur Chen Jieqi and creating bases and brackets for antiques, alongside the mounting artist Tian Yufan, drew inspiration from exquisite artifacts throughout history and the Han dynasty's gold and silver wares. Together, they innovated the craft of inlaying gold and silver wires on wooden utensils. Using precious rosewood for the inlay bases and brackets, they enhanced the beauty and value of the antiques, making them even more exquisite. By the Guangxu period, the production of silver-inlaid lacquerware had become widespread in Weixian (now Weifang). The range of products expanded from bases and brackets for artifacts to various crafts and furniture, enjoying broad market success and indicating a flourishing scene. Thus, the rosewood silver-inlaid lacquerware officially emerged as a separate craft category.
00:00 intro
00:10 pattern design
00:44 pattern transfer
00:58 prepare tools
01:17 carve fine grooves
03:37 process silver wires
03:51 inlay outline of pattern
06:48 inlay silver carvings
08:08 inlay gold carvings
11:00 polish finished piece

[@joelongstaff7601]

Ive been making dresser boxes and wood burning for about 60 years. I think I must try doing this wire inlay in amongst my wood burning. Thankyou this is very inspirering. I truely enjoy watching skilled artists like this. God bless.

[@CraftMasterpiece]

Thanks for sharing your own experience, amazing. God bless.

[@wYatt121509]

This level of artistry humbles me. Very beautiful and the attention to craft is rare to see anymore. Well done, God bless.

[@CraftMasterpiece]

Thank you🍀

[@lisanidog8178]

Gold and silver go together. Thanks for sharing.

[@michaelhawkins6501]

The level of fine control with both hands amazes me. My kingdom for such ability!

[@kjirstenboucher9682]

Beautiful work! Mesmerising to watch you doing this.😊

[@natch1908]

This was a stunning result and a beautiful process. Very inspiring.

[@wondertina]

Nice piece of art! How patient you are~

[@skolaprimitivne428]

Cool.

[@YveWin]

Absolutely Stunning! 💙⭐️

[@gwenm6582]

Incredible Skill!!!! Beautiful Projects!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@Tucholsky59]

Very interesting technique to produce this box.

[@PeterNetped]

incredibly beautiful work, priceless💯💯👍👍

[@nadinkafancy9126]

кто создает такие машины, эта такая сложная техника, как люди до этого додумались😍 печати шикарные😍

[@chekotaythefirstrochester9094]

Magnificent ❤

[@user-sy9nm6vi9m]

Пионы получились чудесные. Очень красиво! (The peonies turned out wonderful. Very beautiful!)

[@williamogilvie6909]

Excellent work. It must take weeks to finish.

[@worm2976]

Amazing skill!

[@diamondslashranch]

Just stunning I really hope you have a shop where we can buy your things.

[@eleanormassey8559]

It's beautiful.

[@sebastianjack7075]

Beautiful

[@jaydee5447]

Insanely good work

[@lehanik503]

It's perfect🎉😊

[@Zarbaft2]

چه جعبه جواهرات زیبایی

[@patrickretsel7048]

The fine engraving you started with reminds me of a tattoo machine, with the offal building up around the site like ink does when you tattoo. It looks so hard to stay in the lines with all that obstructing them. Great work thanks for sharing.

[@CraftMasterpiece]

Thank you too for telling us your ideas👍🤩

[@denisestover2416]

Hi! All of the silver work is beautiful! To me, the gold work is too clunky compared to the light and delicate work of the silver. If you had inlaid the gold as you did the silver, it would have been balanced, but as it is now it looks like a mistake. Why do you not take the lid off the box to have the silver work inlaid and then replace it when complete? Do the hinges not become compromised? I hope you post more beautiful work!😃

[@OzzieOzzieOzzieOyOyOy]

Beautiful. From start to finish, how long does this take you to do? Thankyou.

[@CraftMasterpiece]

one week

[@OzzieOzzieOzzieOyOyOy]

@@CraftMasterpiece I am not surprised it takes so long. It is wonderful to see a talented craftsman doing his job by hand from start to finish, instead of the mass manufacturing we see nowadays. Thankyou for keeping real craftsmanship alive.

[@pammcmillan8842]

❤

[@VestigialLung]

There’s not a lot of detail on the “process silver wire” step. Are you just heating it to ensure it’s fully soft and malleable, or is there something else going on there?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

Just heating to soften it before the inlay process, and cut into proper length and bend, nothing else

[@davidanderson5767]

How long did the carving take?

[@PinkOrchid8]

So intricate & beautiful! Do you have a shop online at all?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

Thank you😃 I’ll consider opening one this year.

[@ThisDirtyWhiteBoy]

Beautiful work! Did you use round silver wire and make it flat or did you use a type of flat or square silver wire?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

I think it should be called square, with different thicknesses of 0.6mm, 0.7mm and 0.8mm, but with same length of 1 meter.

[@ThisDirtyWhiteBoy]

@@CraftMasterpiece Thank you! All of your work is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

[@KevinK88]

0:13 how my pencils looked in school because I had to sharpen them to avoid work and disrupt the whole class

[@emanueliratliff4263]

What kind of material (cotton paper? Rice paper?) was used as the medium for transferring the pattern?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

Initially, it was sulfuric acid paper but it wouldn't stick to the box after getting wet, so rice paper was used instead.

[@Patrick-jd1ku]

@@CraftMasterpiece so do you just use water, or is it some kind of oil?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

@Patrick-jd1ku glue，water-based

[@rcmoot]

Thanks for your reply. Did you roll or purchase ? Who sells it ?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

You can find some on Amazon, ‘flat wire’ or ‘square wire’.

[@rcmoot]

Your wire is probable 0.10 thick?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

0.6-0.8 mm

[@memememe2674]

How did you get that pencil so pointed?

[@CraftMasterpiece]

half-DIY😀

[@BallTripper]

I think I preferred it without the gold

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

Its silver!

[@DelphiaStrickland]

The flower centers are gold.

[@808zhu]

Howdy

[@Betzen322]

that wasn’t the thumbnail at all

[@moehoward01]

😧😧😧😧

[@angelicplace5615]

I thought it was putting gold and silver on expensive brownies! Mmmmm...

[@Cafelito]

Bait