(NLĐO) - A renowned brass polisher in Ho Chi Minh City believes that "trust" and "dedication" have helped maintain his craft for decades. The upcoming Lunar New Year of the Snake 2025 is also expected to bring him a bountiful harvest.
The brass polishing shop at the intersection of Le Van Duyet (formerly Dinh Tien Hoang) and Vu Huy Tan streets (Binh Thanh district) has been familiar to many city residents for decades.
Mr. Tran Thanh Tien has been involved in the craft of polishing bronze incense burners for over 30 years.
Now nearly 70 years old, Mr. Tran Thanh Tien has been involved in polishing brass incense burners for over 30 years. According to him, there are usually a few customers, but Tet (Lunar New Year) is the peak season when people decorate their ancestral altars.
The craft of polishing brass incense burners thrives during Tet (Lunar New Year).
Bronze incense burners that have rusted or tarnished over time will be polished. Bronze incense burners are spiritually significant items, so people are very meticulous about their use. "Descendants remember their roots and gather to remember their ancestors. Decorating the altar is a long-standing tradition. This is a spiritual world , not something to be trifled with," Mr. Tien shared.
The burner assembly was disassembled for easier soaking in cleaning solution and removing the glue.
After being thoroughly washed, they will be left to dry.
The craftsman treats the customer's incense burner as if it were his own, working diligently and meticulously.
Every Lunar New Year, Mr. Tien's brass polishing shop is bustling with customers. Many of them are loyal patrons, some having been with him since he first started his business.
"The peak Tet season is from the 24th to the 29th of the 12th lunar month. We have to operate two machines from 6 am to 4 pm. We have to produce 20 sets of incense burners a day," shared a veteran craftsman.
The brass set was polished using a cloth wheel.
For harder, deeper areas within the crevices, we will continue using wire brushes to thoroughly address the problem.
Mr. Tien said that bronze incense burners are very diverse, in terms of size, number of pieces, level of craftsmanship, age, ranging from traditional handcrafted to industrially produced, so the effort required also varies, and the risk is also higher. However, he has never refused to accept any set of incense burners. Conversely, customers trust him when sending valuable sets of incense burners for polishing.
The incense burner was polished with powder to make it shiny.
"The goods are very diverse, I can't refuse them. I choose what's easy to sell, I can't leave the difficult ones to others. This profession can't be kept secret; what's important is knowing the techniques and how to handle them. This profession requires hard work, perseverance, and learning from experience," he confided.
Mr. Tien sprayed an extra layer of sealant to help the shine last longer.
According to Mr. Tien, each incense burner and candlestick set is disassembled, then the sealant is removed. Industrial brass incense burners usually tarnish after 4-5 years. After that, the burners are polished and powdered to maintain their shine and golden sheen. For extra care, the craftsmen will spray an additional layer of sealant to preserve the shine for longer.
Having been here for over 30 years, Mr. Tien has many long-time customers.
"Easy cases take half an hour to complete, while difficult cases take over an hour. Therefore, we have to schedule a time for customers to pick up their packages. Many people come to drop off items and want them urgently, but we don't dare accept them because if we don't deliver on time, it would be considered a broken promise. Usually, customers drop off and receive their packages on the same day; some busy people leave it for 2-3 days," Mr. Tien said.
In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), this brass polishing shop in Binh Thanh district is extremely busy.
Thanks to the skill and dedication of the "master" brass polishers, customers are satisfied with the cost.
A renowned craftsman from Saigon shared that to maintain this profession, one needs diligence, a willingness to learn, a love for the job, and the ability to listen. "Another important factor is that those who polish brass incense burners and stay in the profession for a long time do so thanks to their integrity and dedication," he said.
Mr. Vu has been working with Mr. Tien in this profession for over 20 years.
Mr. Phan Tuan Vu has been working as a brass polisher under Mr. Tien since he was a young man, and now he has two children. Before he knew it, Mr. Vu had been involved in this profession for over 20 years.
He said that thanks to this job, he earns a decent amount of money during Tet to take care of his family. According to him, depending on the incense burner set, the price ranges from 200,000 to 400,000 VND, and some sets even cost up to 800,000 VND.
Mr. Phan Tuan Vu said that there are days when he works from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"I've seen incense burners worth tens of millions of dong, even hundreds of millions of dong. There are some sets that are 50-60 years old, and many families still preserve them; they still shine brightly when polished," Anh Vu shared.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/nghe-danh-bong-lu-dong-len-ngoi-dip-tet-196250127135412748.htm
