ANTIQUE 19thC CHINESE EXPORT SOLID SILVER NOBILITY SCENES MUG, CUTSHING c.1870
19th Century Chinese export silver mug, of traditional shape and size, the body is embossed with beautiful scenes in relief depicting Chinese warriors and nobility amongst city landscape, double walled, the front centering with an vacant round shaped cartouche, the side mounted with a handle that is beautifully modelled as a dragon.
Hallmarked with Chinese export marks (pseudo English hallmarks), Retailers mark CUT for Cutshing.
Reference Number: A6898
DESCRIPTION
Antique 19th Century Chinese export solid silver mug, of traditional shape and size, the body is embossed with beautiful scenes in relief depicting Chinese warriors and nobility amongst city landscape, double walled, the front centering with an vacant round shaped cartouche, the side mounted with a handle that is beautifully modelled as a dragon. Hallmarked with Chinese export marks (pseudo English hallmarks), Retailers mark CUT for Cutshing the trading name of a company based in Canton famous for retailing luxury items in silver, jade as well as high quality filigree and enamel items.
Although we don’t know the name or the names of the craftsmen working for the firm, according to Chinese Export Silver expert Adrien Von Ferscht it seems likely to be the result of a partnership between the American trader John Perkins, Cutshing and Houqua, the most powerful merchant from Hong Kong.
The company produced a large number of high quality items, which indicates that there were several highly skilled artisans producing silver for it. As the other early Chinese Export Silver retailers, Cutshing used to mark its items with pseudo-hallmarks, imitating the English hallmark system: the marks ‘CU’ and ‘CUT’ are nowadays unanimously considered to represent Cutshing.
Cutshing is responsible for some of the finest Georgian style silverware, comparable in design and proportions to the pieces produced in England by Paul Storr, but generally heavier. The firm specialised also in filigree and enamel artworks and fans that were sought after by European royal families, the Russian Imperial court and Maharajahs.
CONDITION
In Great Condition - No Damage.
SIZE
Height: 11cm
Width: 10 x 6cm
Weight: 160g