Restoring a single photo can take Yu hours, or even days. "The more I learn about them, the more I admire the grit they showed in those turbulent years."Ī stage photograph of Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang's in 1935 Photo: Courtesy of Yu KaiyiPhoto restoration takes patience. "There were many Peking Opera masters who insisted in creating and performing anti-Japanese aggression plays under the threat of death," Yu told the Global Times. Zhou performed the play, which tells the story of the final collapse of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), to call on the Chinese public to bravely fight back against Japanese aggression. For example, a photo of Peking Opera master Zhou Xinfang performing Mingmoyihen, (Lit: Eternal Regret of the Late Ming Dynasty), was taken when Zhou performed the play soon after the September 18 Incident, also known as the Mukden Incident, which marked the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
#Precious moments how to#
He also learned how to better clean and store historical photographs and negatives, which involves small details such as maintaining a storage room at a certain temperature and getting the composition of cleaning fluid just right.Įach photo Yu has restored is a decades-old story. "I don't want to 'damage' the original photos," said Yu.
#Precious moments software#
Instead of directly altering the original photographs, Yu first scans the old photos and then restores them by using software like Photoshop. "I had to learn everything by myself," Yu recalled. With little theoretical or practical experience at the beginning, Yu, who majored in international politics, spent long, hard days learning how to restore old photos when he first started in 2015. Yu, 31, is probably the only staffer at a Peking Opera theater engaged in Peking Opera photo restoration. Through painstaking effort, they now have a refreshing new look. Zhou Xinfang (1895-1975), Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), Ma Lianliang (1901-1966)… Numerous photos of the brightest names in Peking Opera history have become faded, smudged or damaged over the past decades. Restoring old Peking Opera photos has been Yu's main hobby since he started working at the archives room at the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Co in 2014, where he has access to more than 200,000 historical photos in the theater's collection. In his eight-square-meter office, Yu has restored more than 20,000 Peking Opera photos taken in the early 20th century. Photo: Courtesy of Yu KaiyiSitting at his desk as a bright light burns overhead, Yu Kaiyi taps on a computer screen with a pressure sensitive pen, carefully erasing the stains on a scanned copy of an old photograph of a Peking Opera performance. While other Precious Moments might sell on the secondhand market for less than $5, this particular exception might be one you'll "loveth.Yu Kaiyi restores a scanned copy of an old photograph of Peking Opera master Zhou Xinfang. But just like other collectibles, wear and tear can impact the value, as well as artistry, provenance, date of production and the number of pieces in the production run.Įither way, it's worth a look. "The appraised value for a circa 1977 original Precious Moments figurine 'God Loveth the Cheerful Giver' in excellent condition is $750," says antiques appraiser Dr.
As a particularly beloved Precious Moments design, some might go for even more than that. Recent eBay sales have topped out at $275 and $250 – not too shabby for a mass-produced collectible. Some overly optimistic estimates top $2,000, but more realistic numbers will still have you running to check your attic.
#Precious moments full#
The statue of a little girl with a cart full of free puppies is pretty cute on its own, but its valuation might make your heart swell a little more. The company discontinued this specific design a few years later, making it one of collectors' most coveted characters.
" God Loveth a Cheerful Giver" is giving sellers big bucks on sites like eBay and Amazon thanks to its exclusive status as one of the "original 21." Back when the brand debuted in late '70s, buyers could start their collections with this statue and 20 others.
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