Asian American Comparative Collection:
Artifact Illustrations

Priscilla Wegars, Ph.D., Volunteer Curator
Laboratory of Anthropology
University of Idaho
P. O. Box 441111
Moscow, Idaho 83844-1111 USA
208-885-7075
pwegars@uidaho.edu

The artifacts depicted are all from the Asian American Comparative Collection except where noted. Thanks to Jenny Ralston for taking the digital photographs, except where indicated, and to Terry Abraham for incorporating them into this Web page.

CHINESE ARTIFACTS

Scales vary. For more information, including artifact names as used by the Asian American Comparative Collection, you may order "Chinese Artifact Illustrations, Terminology, and Selected Bibliography."

Utilitarian Objects

Liquor bottle	Spouted jar	Wide-mouthed jar and lid
Straight-sided jar and lid	Pan	Globular jar
Barrel jar and lid	Ginger jars and lid	Ginger jars and lid; left two are hexagonal	Green glazed wares; top, barrel jar. Photo by P. Wegars.

"Bean cake" (preserved tofu) jar (glass)

Tea can

Oil can lid, interior; circular hole is sealed with square patch on exterior. Dimensions, 23.5 cm. x 15.5 cm. Note characters to right of hole. Photo by Chantelle DeLay.

Tablewares

"Double Happiness" pattern rice bowl fragments. Photo by P. Wegars.	"Bamboo" pattern rice bowl	Celadon spoon, rice bowl, liquor cup, teacup
"Four Seasons" pattern a.k.a. "Four Flowers" serving bowl, liquor cup	"Sweet Pea" pattern liquor warmer and lid	Left two, characters on orange background. Right nine, "Attributes of the Eight Immortals" sauce server, two lids, rice bowl, spoon, three teacups, liquor cup. Photo by P. Wegars.

Opium- and Tobacco-Smoking Paraphernalia

See top of page for drawing of opium pipe stem (bamboo), with opium pipe bowl, opium pipe bowl connector, and opium pipe saddle.
Opium pipe bowls, ceramic In recent years, the incorrect term "damper" has often been used for these objects. An opium pipe bowl is NOT a "damper."	Opium pipe bowl connector, metal	Opium pipe saddle, metal	Opium can, two lids, metal

Opium Lamp Parts

Left, wick support, glass. Right, wick support and wick holder, metal

Opium lamp bases, glass

Tobacco pipe bowl

Medicine Bottles

Bottle on left is often mistakenly called an "opium bottle"

Gambling Paraphernalia and Coins

Lottery ticket, "spreading out cover," gaming pieces, domino

Coins

JAPANESE ARTIFACTS

Scales vary. For more information on these and other objects, including artifact names as used by the Asian American Comparative Collection, you may order "Japanese Artifact Illustrations, Terminology, and Selected Bibliography."