Puzzled by added "Cloud" marks in text

[Shelley]

I bought this from a second hand shop, it is a very lovely Chinese cushion cover I think.  Not sure. If deciphering this text doesn't help I will post a picture of the item. 

 

Thank you for any help.

 

 

 

[sekkar]

Not sure what your question is. Are you asking which characters they are supposed to represent? That would be 錦綉唐朝，which seems to be a souvenir shop in HK.

[Shelley]

Sorry yes, can't work out what the characters are because of the added shapes in each character. The item in the package looks like it might be a cushion cover or similar. Wondered if the text would enlighten me as to what it was supposed to be.

 

Think I will have to take a few pictures. I will try to get that together in a bit.

 

Thanks for the clarification of the characters. Does anyone know why they have added these "cloud" shapes to each one

[Shelley]

Here are some pictures.

 

This one shows the front.

 

This one shows how it is open along the yellow slot down the middle.

 

This shows that one end is open and closes with a small bit of Velcro.

 

 

This is the back.

 

 

If anyone has any idea what it is, I would be very interested to know. Thank you.

[imron]

5 hours ago, Shelley said:

Does anyone know why they have added these "cloud" shapes to each one

For the same reason McDonalds has golden arches instead of an M.

[TheBigZaboon]

@Shelley I'm guessing here, but from my experience, I suggest you try to fit a standard sized Kleenex tissue box inside your new prize, with the tissues peeking out of the slot or opening, and the velcro closed off to keep the box in. If the box won't fit, try with smaller sized packages of tissues alone, with or without the cellophane package. I have no idea of the size of the item, so I'm just guessing, but I've seen similar items for years, all over the world, Japan and China included.

Hope this helps...

TBZ

[oceancalligraphy]

6 hours ago, Shelley said:

Does anyone know why they have added these "cloud" shapes to each one

 

It's part of their logo: 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294217-d14933016-Reviews-Elegant_Tang_Dynasty-Hong_Kong.html

 

They've positioned the cloud in different orientations in each character to replace a part of it. Even with those strokes missing, the characters are still legible. 

In 錦，the cloud replaces 巾 in 帛 on the right side

In 綉 ，the cloud replaces 乃 in 秀 on the right side

In 唐，the cloud replaces 口 on the bottom

In 朝，the cloud replaces 曰 in 龺on the left side

[Luxi]

11 hours ago, Shelley said:

If anyone has any idea what it is, I would be very interested to know.

 

What's the size, Shelley? I'm 99.6% sure it is a pecha cover. Pecha means 'book' in Tibetan. Tibetan Buddhist texts are printed in loose strips about 30 - 35cm wide X 10cm high

as here. 

 

These pecha are held together in beautifully elaborate covers; this type is a traditional Tibetan style, which one uses to read on a meditation table - it holds the pages up so they can be read easily. There are other types without the wooden frame that are often used to carry the texts around (Buddhist texts are sacred and have to be protected).

 

Yours is a very beautiful one and I like the velcro fastenings.

[TheBigZaboon]

@Luxi's suggestion sure beats the hell outa mine from both intellectual and coolness standpoints. I concede to my betters. 

 

However, as @Shelley probably doesn't have any Tibetan pecha books to use it with, maybe tissues will fill the bill until she finds something better or more appropriate in her local Tibetan jumble store...

 

TBZ

[Shelley]

Thank you all for help and suggestions. A tissue box cover was also the first thing we thought of but it is a bit big and takes up a lot of space on a table. 

 

It is 35cm by 22cm. It only has a small 2.5cm square of Velcro at one end, the other is completely sealed.

 

I am not sure what I will do with it, I think I will just keep it and I am sure something will come up.

[Luxi]

31 minutes ago, Shelley said:

It is 35cm by 22cm.

It is the right size, keeps 2 texts or the pages you've read separate in the 2 halves. It could, I suppose, be also used to cover an average size western style book though the embroidered pattern is Buddhist symbols.

 

37 minutes ago, Shelley said:

I am not sure what I will do with it,

Do you want my address? I can buy it from you.

[Shelley]

5 hours ago, Luxi said:

Do you want my address? I can buy it from you

What would you do with it?

[Shelley]

5 hours ago, Luxi said:

keeps 2 texts or the pages you've read separate in the 2 halves. 

Do you mean a Buddhist style text or a western book. How does that work?

[Luxi]

1 hour ago, Shelley said:

How does that work?

 

You can either use it to wrap a normal book, like here:  
https://www.dharmacrafts.com/bookcover/tibetan-book-cover

 

Or fold it in half and keep the loose strips of a Tibetan book in one or both halves. 
http://www.tibetantreasures.com/Text_and_Book_Covers-Brocade_Tibetan_Pecha_Cover_1.html  

(it can take quite a long time to put all those strips of paper back in the right order, especially if the pages aren't numbered and one doesn't read Tibetan)

 

1 hour ago, Shelley said:

What would you do with it?

 

Not much these days. I now tend to keep all those texts electronically in a tablet and travel light.

[Shelley]

After spending some time reading and look at pictures, I feel I should point out that at the 2 points where the yellow tassels are there is a single stitch joining the 2 halves and holding the tassel on.

 

You can either put things in the end with a single small square of Velcro or in the gap between the yellow binding, between the tassels or either side. 

 

It doesn't open out flat into a square, you couldn't wrap a text up in as described in a video i watched.

 

So I am still a bit confused.

[imron]

20 hours ago, Shelley said:

you couldn't wrap a text up in as described in a video i watched.

I guess it's a tissue box cover after all then

[Luxi]

On 8/30/2018 at 9:03 PM, Shelley said:

there is a single stitch joining the 2 halves

 

Could the stiching be an alteration by previous owners trying to make the object useful to them? 

Google's Image Search came up with "wood"

https://tinyurl.com/y7pmfx8u

for the side with the tassels, even though I searched using Hong Kong settings to make things easier. It liked the table more than anything else

But you may find some suggestions in the additional images from Google.

 

 

 

 

 

[Shelley]

I don't think the stitching has been added. It came in its original packaging and it seemed like no one had ever opened it.

 

1 hour ago, Luxi said:

for the side with the tassels, even though I searched using Hong Kong settings to make things easier. It liked the table more than anything else

I am sorry but I don't understand this, and I am also at a loss as to why it came up with wood.

 

I looked at the images but nothing came close.

 

I am just going to keep it and maybe one day i will find out what it is and if not it doesn't matter its a lovely thing to look at and I am sure I will find a use for it, probably not a tissue box cover though

[dwq]

On 8/30/2018 at 5:58 PM, Shelley said:

It is 35cm by 22cm.

 

Seems exactly the right size for these:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E57FY2/

Product Dimensions: 9.9 (for 5) x 8.9 x 4.9 inches

 

(9.9in / 5 + 4.9in) * 2 * 2.54cm/in = 35.0cm

8.9in * 2.54cm/in = 22.6cm

[Shelley]

@dwq Thank you, you're not the only one who had this idea, but its much too nice to use like that.

 

I will find something suitable for it eventually.