Basic Introduction to Lai Shui Wrinkled Walnuts
Lai Shui Wrinkled Walnuts are mainly distributed in Loucun Township and Shiting Town, among which Nanan Village in Loucun Township is the most famous for having the most number of growers. Following closely behind are Mijing, Chechang, and Huguo Village in Loucun Township. Shiting Town has the largest scale and most comprehensive network for Lai Shui Wrinkled Walnuts.
Product Characteristics
The inner shell is hard with wrinkles and is yellow-brown in color.
Lai Shui Wrinkled Walnuts primarily belong to grafted varieties and are of high quality, ranking among the best in the category of hand-play walnuts. Major varieties include White Lion's Head, Wheat Spike Tiger's Head, Wang Yong's Official Hat, Full Sky Stars, Baihua Mountain, Apple Orchard, Sizuo Building, Nanjiangshi, and Young Scholar's Hat, among others.
Historical Folklore
The Lai Shui Wrinkled Walnut Industrial Base (hand-play walnuts) is a professional walnut base dedicated to cultivating superior walnut seedlings and producing high-quality walnuts. Wrinkled walnuts include four types: Lion's Head, Official Hat, Chicken Heart, and Young Scholar's Hat, collectively known as the Four Famous Nuts. Due to their size, color, shape, and quality reaching high standards, and the scarcity of wild walnuts, they have become sought-after and collected items throughout history. Naturally, market prices are not low, and due to the decrease in wild trees, the prices of good varieties of wrinkled walnuts and young trees continue to rise rapidly every year. This makes them increasingly popular as objects for collection, appreciation, and investment. The Lai Shui Wrinkled Walnut seedlings are considered top-notch products in the industry.
Identifying Authenticity
Selection Techniques
Firstly, look at the size of the walnuts. The sizes of the two walnuts should be roughly equal. If there is a difference in size, as long as it is within 0.5mm, they can be considered a successful pair. Even walnuts from the same tree sometimes struggle to find a particularly perfect match. Therefore, finding a matching pair requires great patience and opportunity. Sometimes, a newly harvested walnut may take several years to find another walnut that matches well with it.
Secondly, observe the color of the walnuts. The colors of the two walnuts should be as consistent as possible, avoiding any noticeable color differences. Generally, walnuts of different ages tend to exhibit different colors, especially older walnuts which may display a lustrous, agate-like hue. A word of caution to buyers: some new walnuts on the market have been artificially colored. A simple way to distinguish them is by rubbing your fingers over the walnut; an older walnut will show bright spots, whereas a newly colored walnut will not display these highlights.
Thirdly, examine the texture of the walnuts. The texture patterns of the two walnuts should be as similar as possible. The closer the patterns, the higher the overall value of the pair, and vice versa. Additionally, the density and distribution of the texture should also be as close as possible for the pair to have a higher value. Walnuts from the same tree often have similar textures, while those from different trees rarely share similar textures. To increase the success rate of pairing walnuts, sellers often employ the practice of “tree-purchasing.”
Fourthly, consider the shape of the walnuts. In terms of shape, the two walnuts should ideally have a similar appearance from all six directions: top, bottom, left, right, front, and back. If all six directions match, it is referred to as an “absolute pair,” which is very rare. If five directions match, it is considered an “excellent pair.” However, if only one direction is similar and the other directions differ significantly, the two walnuts cannot be considered a matched pair.