From Tianjin, it is a 70 km drive to Nanzhaofu Town in Dacheng County. This is the largest manufacturer of mahogany furniture in northern China. Recently, CCTV's "Weekly Quality Report" revealed that the mahogany furniture market has been improperly filled with "white skin" and impersonated by "made old" as antiques. People are curious.
The reporter saw that Nanzhaofu Town centered on Fengzhuang Village, along the Jinbao South Road, there were nearly a thousand shops dealing in mahogany furniture, from the branded "Tao Ranju" and "Red Sun" to the nameless, The small shop with a simple storefront stretches for four or five kilometers.
The convenient geographical conditions have attracted consumers who are obsessed with classical mahogany furniture in Beijing and Tianjin to Nanzhaofu. "Jiang Kun, Wang Gang, Zhang Tielin and Ma Dong have all bought furniture from us. There are also foreigners, Germans, Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese and Hong Kongers." Tension of the boss of a furniture company (pseudonymized upon request) said.
This morning, almost a quarter of the entire street was closed and closed. Zhang Li said: "Recently, the county has been unified and rectified, and some shops without a business license have been temporarily closed. In fact, it was not a house that opened every day. Everyone mainly sells wholesale customers. Retails generally do not sell four or five months a month. Pieces. "
Hongri Classical Furniture Company is one of the largest furniture manufacturers in Nanzhao Fuzhen. The reporter saw here that this company has two large exhibition halls before and after, and a wide processing workshop behind it. There are as many as ten manufacturers of this scale in Nanzhao Town. Because of the brand guarantee, the price of mahogany furniture produced by these manufacturers is about 10% higher than that of small and medium-sized workshops. For example, a set of antique bed with red rosewood, the general manufacturer's price is about 75,000 yuan, while the asking price of "Red Sun" is 85,000 yuan.
Regarding how ordinary consumers identify mahogany furniture, Zhang Li said that before buying, you must be optimistic about whether the surface of the mahogany has a clear and fine texture. "It depends on the silk road and brown eyes to see whether the wood is good or bad. The broken spots are just like human blood vessels. The mahogany wood must have a clear texture. "
Traveling throughout the Nanzhao Fuzhen furniture market, the reporter only found a pair of "old" top cabinets in one store. "This is toon wood, 6,000 yuan." The owner said that they are only selling according to distressed furniture, because the "old" technology is more complicated, so the price will be higher than ordinary antique furniture.
If the customer proposes to buy "made-to-order" furniture, the general manufacturer can meet their requirements. Zhang Li's view is: "Consumers' psychology is different. Some people like brand new ones, some people like old-fashioned feelings. Some people are willing to" make old "Huang Huali furniture and put them at home. Is also a kind of vanity. "
Compared with "old-fashioned", "white skin" is indeed "a cancer" in the mahogany furniture market.
The "Redwood National Standard" clearly stipulates that redwood should be defined as the "heartwood" of Pterocarpus, Dalbergia, Diospyros, Clematis, and Helix. Strictly speaking, not all trees can be called redwood. Zhang Li said that from the cross-section of the wood, the "heartwood" is the dark part in the middle, and the white part on the periphery is the "white skin". Its function is to deliver nutrients to the trees, and the density is relatively low. If it is made of furniture, Relatively susceptible to insects, it will affect the life of furniture. "All mahogany furniture products strictly say that all" heartwood "should be used. At present, some furniture with all-wood mahogany on the market may use" white skin "in a hidden place. In fact, once" white skin "is damaged, the whole piece Furniture will also depreciate relatively. After the exposure of CCTV, it also has some impact on the market of Ayutthaya. Some buyers proposed to look at the white logs of the furniture to determine whether there is a “white skin†before waxing and polishing. The manufacturer has no way, even if it has been After waxing, it has to be changed. It can only be done according to the buyer's requirements, which is quite troublesome. "
For businesses who dare to emphasize the authenticity of their mahogany furniture, the "white skin" incident has become their promotional advertisement. The reporter walked into a medium-sized store in Nan Zhaofu and saw that the mahogany furniture displayed in the store were all "semi-finished products"-the assembled furniture was not waxed, but showed the original nature of the wood naked, just to let buyers See more clearly and more at ease.
The past and present of mahogany furniture
Classical mahogany furniture has formed a complete industrial chain in South Zhaofu Town. In addition to furniture manufacturers, it also includes upstream wood wholesale sales, small workshops that manufacture copper accessories for various furniture, and computer engraving machines. Dealer. Foreign customers can find a vehicle for transportation after making a phone call here.
Locals said that as early as the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many carpenters made furniture for the palace in Nanzhao Fuzhen, and they brought back the learned craftsmanship to their hometowns and passed down from generation to generation. "Speaking of the history of Nan Zhaofu's making mahogany furniture, I must mention Yang Yao, an expert who has been studying Ming-style furniture since the 1930s. In the 1960s, he was transferred to Dacheng County, and many of his Ming-Qing furniture style maps were kept. Here. Later, many local carpenters made furniture according to the drawings he brought. "
Zhang Li said that after the reform and opening up in the 1980s, many villagers in this area started their business of acquiring old furniture. He is also one of them. This group of people have found a lot of good things from rural areas such as Shanxi and Hebei. Years later, Zhang Li set up a booth in Panjiayuan in Beijing and met Wang Shixiang, a master of Ming-style furniture. "Wang Shixiang can be said to be our ancestor." Wang Shixiang's book "The Appreciation of Ming-style Furniture" was published in 1985, letting future generations realize the preciousness of Chinese classical furniture, and this book has become a classic of Chinese classical furniture. guide.
Mahogany furniture originated from the Ming Dynasty. Zheng He made seven trips to the west and brought back a large amount of mahogany every time. Carpenters used it to make furniture and handicrafts for the palace. Ming-style furniture emphasizes simplicity and simplicity, combining parts with precise and ingenious tenon-mortise, and simple and complex. After the development of the mid-Qing Dynasty, furniture modeling gradually favored the rich and luxurious, and the materials were thicker.
The German scholar G. Ecke summarized the three basic rules for processing mahogany furniture in the "Chinese Rosewood Furniture Drawing Examination": "It is not absolutely necessary not to use wooden pins; as far as possible, no glue is needed; no rotation is required anywhere. "It is the fascination with materials and production techniques that has prevented many today's mahogany enthusiasts from extricating themselves.
As a collection of mahogany furniture, the market began to form in the 1980s. According to Tianjin collector Zhang Lianzhi, after earning his first money in business in the 1980s, he went to Shanghai to buy a set of antique mahogany furniture and gave it back to his mother. Another Tianjin collector, Liu Chunfen, also collected a large amount of antique furniture at the time, and these pieces of furniture are now on display at the Wudao History Museum and Yangliuqing Anyuan Courtyard.
As a fan of mahogany furniture, a famous writer Hai Yan said the cultural connotation of mahogany furniture, which can also be seen from the reason why mahogany furniture has received much attention in the market: "With the growth of age, personal aesthetic taste Close to the local culture, this is the root. The culture and living environment we have accepted since childhood, the subtle feelings and understanding of ancient Chinese culture are always hidden in the blood, and one day they will expand and seek external integration and traditional furniture. This is my meeting point. "
In the 1990s, there was an upsurge of mahogany furniture consumption in the market, followed by a buying boom of mahogany furniture for investment purposes, with an annual value increase of 10% to 30%. Statistics show that the price of red rosewood was 7,000 yuan / ton in 2003, and soared to 35,000 yuan / ton in 2007. The most exaggerated is that a set of Laos red rosewood furniture exhibited at the China-ASEAN Expo in October 2007 has a price tag of up to 80 million yuan.
Affected by the financial crisis, rosewood furniture began to plummet in 2008. "I didn't know what the situation would be in the future, and I would sell it at a price, but people would buy it instead of buying it. If the price fell, no one would buy it, so it didn't sell much." A furniture manufacturer in Nanzhao Town introduced Said that from the second half of 2009, the market of mahogany furniture market began to pick up again. "This year many regions in foreign countries have controlled the volume of precious wood exports, so the price of mahogany has started to rise again. It has been rising in the past six months, basically every month the price is different."
The famous collector Ma Weidu believes: "High-quality wood resources are becoming scarcer. 20 years later, countries will ban logging and strictly control wood exports, so now is the last opportunity to collect pure wooden furniture." As the supply of raw materials becomes increasingly tight, mahogany Furniture has further room for appreciation.
Redwood enters the market fiercely and needs to be cautious
Gulou Commercial Street is the main sales place of Tianjin Redwood Furniture. The reporter came here and found that almost every store claimed to sell authentic mahogany furniture, and many of them were factory direct sales. In this street, a set of red rosewood Ming-style chairs has a asking price of about 15,000 yuan, but the workmanship and styling are more common. The Qing-style chairs can be sold for more than 100,000 yuan because of the large amount of materials and complicated carving. A set of Qing-style chairs marked as Huanghuali in Hainan has a asking price of up to 1.5 million yuan.
The mahogany furniture exposed by CCTV does not actually disturb the market order of mahogany, but only confuses some amateur consumers. Mr. Wei, who runs antique shops in Gulou Commercial Street, said: "At present, the old mahogany furniture of the Ming and Qing dynasties can't be found on the market. There is no such thing. If someone sells antique furniture on the market, it is absolutely fake."
But this market is not simple. Because the price of mahogany of different materials differs by 10 times or even a hundred times, the huge profit space has led some businesses to recharge them in a substandard manner. According to the statistics of the China Consumers Association in recent years, the qualified rate of the mahogany furniture market is only 30%, and consumer complaints are increasing year by year. For example, some mahogany furniture operated by some merchants is a modified product. An old chair can be decomposed and mixed with new materials to become two, and then "made old" deceptive; it is also useful to produce hard wood similar to mahogany from Africa or Southeast Asia. Miscellaneous wood pretends to be a fraudulent act of selling mahogany furniture.
"It's okay if you don't understand, don't rush to buy more." Mr. Wei reminded that before buying mahogany furniture, you must know more, learn as much as possible, or ask insiders to help. "Generally speaking, entry-level consumers can buy one or two pieces and store them in their homes, and then slowly understand the culture and history."
Mahogany furniture cannot be painted, and waxing and long-term contact with air to produce a paste to maintain gloss. Therefore, for consumers, the maintenance of mahogany furniture is very important. However, the reporter found in the interview that whether in Dacheng County or Tianjin, most businessmen flashed their words when they talked about whether the furniture can be maintained regularly after sale. Obviously, such businesses may be troublesome or lack confidence in the furniture they operate, and consumers will naturally have worries after purchasing.
In addition, the reporter learned that almost 100% of the mahogany furniture has carvings, and most of the current carvings are produced in batches after the computer uniformly produces sample drawings. The so-called pure hand-carving of the merchants generally finishes the details on the basis of computer engraving. The streamlined mode of operation lacks the spirituality of traditional craftsmen and masters, and there is a big gap with the natural carving skills of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Therefore, it is necessary to draw a question mark on the artistic value of the current mahogany furniture itself.
The reporter learned from the relevant parties that the national mandatory standard "General Technical Conditions for Mahogany Furniture" will be introduced in March 2011. The standard will require that each piece of mahogany furniture must be accompanied by the "Mahogany Furniture Product Quality Express Card", specifying the furniture products in detail Execution standards, process classification, quality levels, scope of application, main materials, finishing and decoration processes and other information will become the legal basis for consumers to protect their rights and interests.
However, some industry analysts believe that there will be a period of time difference between regulations and enforcement. A furniture distributor on Gulou Commercial Street said that in fact, it has been stipulated since 2008 that the sale of mahogany furniture must be marked with product name, wood, accessories, wood origin, quality grade, paint, specifications, etc., but it is difficult to require every A manufacturer is so comprehensive, so it is best to identify the brand before buying, do not try to cheap.
Inspiration is to make the design more beautiful, just as beautiful as a woman
Netease Home: hello, mark, how would you rate your own design? For example, Canton Tower? Is it the best work of your design career?
Mark Hemel: It is by far my most successful work. After this, I hope to have more play. Of course, the Canton Tower is a beautiful achievement.
NetEase Home: Where does your design inspiration come from? How did the design inspiration of the Guangzhou Tower come from?
Mark Hemel: My inspiration is to make the design more beautiful, as beautiful as a woman. So I hope my design is more diverse, more transparent, smoother, and more creative, just like a woman who is extremely beautiful. So I think it has a slim curve, a slender figure, and a soft texture, just like a woman's dress.
NetEase Home: So Guangzhou Tower is like a beautiful woman with a beautiful posture?
Mark Hemel: Yes.
NetEase Home Furnishing: Have you ever given a name to this work yourself, unlike the official Guangzhou name for Guangzhou Tower or Xiaoman Yao, did you give it a name yourself?
Mark Hemel: No, I didn't give it a name. But for me, it always reminds me of the birth of the second daughter.
NetEase Home: What is her name?
Mark Hemel: My daughter's name is Nina.
NetEase Home: This is a bit like my name.
Mark Hemel: Yes. For me, it always reminds me of my daughter.
NetEase Home: So, the design of Canton Tower was inspired by your daughter?
Mark Hemel: Yes, you can say that. My work partner, Barbara, she happened to be pregnant when we worked together. I watched her belly grow up every day. For us, we were very happy and busy. We really hope to make this project the best.
Mark Hemel: This project is divided into different stages. The beginning was to compete for the design of this project. Barbara first came to check the venue and arrange a visit for customers.
NetEase Home: It took a long time, right?
Mark Hemel: Yes, in fact, as early as 1995, we have worked together in Guangzhou. It happened to be our honeymoon, and we went to Hong Kong, China and Japan. We had already been here at that time. We were interested in this city for the first time, and Guangzhou was also constantly developing. It was 2004. It was a long-term continuous process. The most important thing is that you just need to come and control the whole project from time to time.
I am very excited to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games
NetEase Home: At this year's Guangzhou Asian Games, many foreigners from all over the world gathered here to admire the Guangzhou Tower. At the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, the Guangzhou Tower is very beautiful. I don't know if you are here.
Mark Hemel: Yes.
NetEase Home: How do you feel?
Mark Hemel: I am quite excited. It is beyond my imagination, it is incredible. Watching the fireworks continue to bloom, very beautiful.
NetEase Home: What do you think a good designer must have?
Mark Hemel: For me, the most important thing is to reach out to different people. Maybe just like some ordinary people who meet on the street or live here, he can feel the passion of design and be proud of it. I think that would be successful. People will be very happy to see it.
Netease Home: My mother really wants to visit the Canton Tower because she is not here now, but she very much hopes to be able to go to the scene. Because when she saw the Canton Tower on TV, she felt very beautiful. So your design is not only perfect for you, but also ordinary people like my mother are very excited to see your design. I think this is a very good thing. is it?
Mark Hemel: Yes. I think good architects and good designers can influence others. Make everyone have inspiration, everything becomes better. All designs become better, just like loops.
Western designers ’designs will be more emotional
NetEase Home: In this design week, how do you evaluate these new products and new materials?
Mark Hemel: I haven't had a chance to see all the designs now, but in Guangzhou, new products and new materials are constantly emerging. I really hope it will discover more new and good products year after year.
Netease Home: Because you often travel around the world, right? How do you evaluate Chinese designers? What is the biggest difference between Chinese designers and foreign designers?
Mark Hemel: I think it may be about the differences in structure and form, or other differences in design. I think in Asia, designers pay more attention to the form of design, and their design pays more attention to fluency and harmony. For example, in the West, the design of designers will be more emotional. For example, from a story, the design will also pay more attention to practicality, just as all elements are integrated into one design at the same time. And I saw many new designs in Guangzhou, and I think they may become the dominant force in the design world in the future. Therefore, when you travel around the world, you will find that you still have a lot of shortcomings, and you don't know when your design will be able to go to the next level. Therefore, as a designer, you must plan your next development, how will your future look like, and how will you make this world a better place and be sustainable. This is not a design that may be abandoned after five years, but a design that is truly valuable and can be spread. The bigger your work, the more responsibility you must have to ensure quality design. This design can last for a long time, and can better affect people's lives.
NetEase Home: Have you ever considered incorporating Chinese elements into your design?
Mark Hemel: No, I think architects should focus on the present and the future, reflecting our existing culture, not just going back in time, but it is also feasible to add traditional elements to the design. Ancient furniture is also put in, good design can suit all people. Design itself can have a certain degree of connection with the past, but more importantly, it has a vision of the future.
Hope to further cooperate with China
NetEase Home: What is your career plan in China?
Mark Hemel: Yes, we would like to have further cooperation with Chinese designers, Chinese customers or people interested in design. Further, that will help us build the foundation here. Just like now I have been running back and forth in Asia fifty or sixty times in the past few years. I think maybe this will enable us to better cooperate with China based on this and Asia.
NetEase Home: Have you received any government projects in China or other countries similar to the Guangzhou Tower?
Mark Hemel: We used to have, we work in other countries, such as Africa, Cannes, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. We also have other design projects in China, but the scale is relatively small and does not require a long continuous period of time. We are still striving for deeper cooperation.
Mark Hemel: I think design means to me fun, opportunity and optimism about the future.
NetEase Home: You are indeed a person who likes the future and doesn't like to go back in time, does it?
Mark Hemel: I like to go back in time, mainly about myself. Some of the things we have done before are very valuable and worth continuing. The most important thing is that as a designer, you must think about the designs you make now and in the future. They must be good enough and valuable enough to be passed on for a long time. So I want to do things for the present rather than indulging in the past.
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