White Copper Antique Pixiu Pendant, Wealth Style

Folk description gives the pixiu a dragon’s head, a horse’s body, scaled legs, a mouth and no vent — in goes everything, out goes nothing. That description took shape late, and carvings differ from region to region, some looking like lions and some like tigers. When buying, pleasing the eye matters more than research; hunt for the style of one particular dynasty and you will not find it in the market. Many customers ask about male and female, which folk custom tells apart by the horn; that rule is not consistent either, so answer by pointing at the design. Real research means going through tomb reliefs, which is a lot of work for a pendant at this price.

The antiqued version gains volume. Whatever muscle the beast has is pressed out by the dark sitting in the hollows; on an all-bright piece a light flattens it. Cast white copper holds a corner, and the toes on the paws stay legible — that is where it beats zinc alloy. It has weight in the hand and does not hang like a sheet of tin. The claws have to be cut separately. Blur them into one mass and at a distance it is a lump, the commonest fault of cheap goods.

The back is flat and lies against the chest without digging in. The ring is set into the back, towards the front, so the head faces outward once it is on. Which way the head should point has two schools, one for drawing wealth in and one for keeping it, and neither convinces the other; go with what the household does. To be thorough: face it outward when you go out and inward when you sit down, and both are satisfied. If the back is antiqued too, the dark should be even — patchy and it looks greasy. The ring hole should be round. An oval hole saws the cord, and that is where a maker’s conscience shows.

Pendant alone or with a Chopin chain is a difference in money and a difference in trouble saved. The Chopin link is tight and does not tangle, which suits a piece as heavy as a pixiu; if you would rather use cord, waxed cord takes sweat better than leather. Do not run the chain long. The pixiu looks best at the centre of the chest; down at the stomach it feels like a weight. Choose a dark cord. White copper on a pale cord shows every mark, and changing a cord is a nuisance.

The aged colour on white copper is applied, not earned. Do not compare it with genuinely old pieces, and do not believe any talk of excavation. Wipe it with a soft cloth day to day, use a soft brush in the hollows, and never oil it — oil works into the dark and mottles it. Anyone who finds the antiquing dirty and wants a bright finish should choose a plain piece; an antiqued one cannot go back. Dry it before it goes in the box. Sweat left in the hollows comes out green next time, and green does not wipe off — it has to go back to the workshop.