Some Teaching of Somdej Wat Ket Chai Yoh from Youtube

Sharing recent teaching learned from youtube. For convenience of collectors that don't understand Thai.

Notes taken purely for sharing purpose. Although I agree with most of the points. But authenticating a somdej is not as simple as that. Also different mold/pim has slightly different characteristic. You really have to see and touch many many real pieces before you got a hang of it. Looking at all the marks, signs are just 1 aspect of it. You still have to look at the materials, aging factors etc. It is really an art. :) After you own one piece, you will want another piece. Price is high, but is all worth it. Don't believe me, ask those that own a real piece.

In summary:

Stories behind the name of the temple

-        Ket comes from the nickname of the temple master

-        After that the name was changed to Chai Yo

-        Then combined to Ket Chai Yo

King Rama the 5^th era renamed the temple with the full name.

Som Dej Wat Ket Chai Yo: How to see whether it is authentic:

1.     The right corner of the frame, it has to make a sharp 90 degree angle, but the left corner does not.

2.     A slight depression area at the corner

3.     Looking sideway, not all the  surface is flat or on the same level

4.     The ears are higher than the face. The shapes of the ears at the two sides are not the same, the right is straighter while the left is curvier

5.     The face has to be round like a ball

6.     The shoulders are very pointy- called Intanu. The right shoulder is slightly higher than the left shoulder.

7.     The arm shapes how it bends, the right arm goes smoothly- only 3 break points. The fake ones are smooth without any break points

8.     The breast looks almost like an elephant’s head/ a teeth

9.     The base lines:

a.     Second base looks like a boat

b.     5^th & 6^th base, the line is not flat throughout like the fake ones. Deeper at the side and gentler in the middles.

10.  Sloping from high to low- deepest in the middle area

11.  Below the frame, there is a thin outline

12.  At the arch frame, not flat throughout, more depression in the middle

13.  Looking sideway, the frame surface are not flat, tapers down at the edge

14.  Made from a very thin mold. As such, the surface does not have very deep pressed lines.