ANTIQUE 19thC CHINESE EXPORT SOLID SILVER GOBLET, HOACHING c.1870
19th Century Chinese silver wine goblet, impressive and exceptionally fine quality, richly gilt inside, fully chased and embossed with a dense village scenes and receptions before scholars & nobility, cup resting on a highly decorative palm leaf stem, stem and foot applied with a floral sections and beaded boarders, standing on domed foot.
Hallmarked Chinese silver (900+ standard), bearing the Maker's mark in Chinese for Hoaching.
Reference Number: A6335
DESCRIPTION
Antique 19th Century Chinese export solid silver wine goblet, impressive and exceptionally fine quality, richly gilt inside, fully chased and embossed with a dense village scenes and receptions before scholars & nobility, cup resting on a highly decorative palm leaf stem, stem and foot applied with a floral sections and beaded boarders, standing on domed foot. The shield engraved with elaborate initials and dated Oct 3rd 1879.
Hallmarked Chinese Export silver (acid tested shows a 900+ standard), bearing the Maker's mark in Chinese for Hoaching (Wo Hing), active in Canton 1825-1880. The silversmith is considered one of best Chinese Export names (A. Von Ferscht, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1940, 4th edition 2015).
Hoaching (original Cantonese name is Wo Hing) is one of the largest silversmithing businesses based in Canton between 1825 and 1880. The shop, initially retailing finely carved items, is documented since 1825. It was later taken over by the founder’s two sons, and by 1850 the firm was retailing also silver, jewellery items, carved wood, mother of pearl and lacquer. Basing his assumption on style, scholar Adrien Von Ferscht affirms that the shop was still working in 1870s, probably ending the production in 1880 circa.
As many other Chinese silversmiths at the time, Hoaching used to mark its silverware with a pseudo-hallmark, imitating the English hallmark system. The firm’s mark is commonly referred to as ‘Lombardic H’. Hoaching was popular for the excellence of its workmanship and specialised in trophies and celebration silver, at the time particularly in demand among the Western sporting and gentlemen’s clubs of Hong Kong.
The brand’s pieces reveal a very imaginative fusion of Victorian style and Chinese motifs, which creates a very dramatic effect. Well-known for the consistently high quality, Hoaching workshop mastered different techniques such as filigree, carving, encrusting.
CONDITION
In Excellent Condition - No Damage.
SIZE
Height: 19cm
Width: 9.5cm
Weight: 260g