ANTIQUE 20thC CHINESE SOLID SILVER 3 PIECE TEA SET, BAO CHENG, TIANJIN c.1900
19th Century Chinese three piece tea set, comprising of teapot, lidded sugar bowl and cream jug. Each piece has straight can shaped body, panels chased in relief with various decorative scenes such as animals in the jungle, dragons and people in villages on a matted ground, lids mounted with bamboo finial and applied handles are modelled as bamboo branches.
Hallmarked with Chinese silver marks, Maker Bao Cheng.
Reference Number: A4625
DESCRIPTION
Antique 19th Century Chinese rare and unusual solid silver three piece tea set, comprising of teapot, lidded sugar bowl and cream jug. Each piece has straight can shaped body, panels chased in relief with various decorative scenes such as animals in the jungle, dragons and people in villages on a matted ground, lids mounted with bamboo finial and applied handles are modelled as bamboo branches.
Hallmarked with Chinese silver marks (900+ standard), Tianjin, Maker Bao Cheng (active 1895-1920)
Bao Cheng was known to be one of the oldest of the group of Tianjin merchants known as the “eight great families [ba ja jia]. His silver mark is very rare and there is only one other item known to be cataloged with his mark. Which is a cup and saucer made in a very similar style. This tea set clearly shows that Bao Cheng was making silver in what we would recognise as the “Straits Chinese” style, so one may assume from this that Bao Cheng was possibly creating silver for that market, for more information please see A.Von Ferscht, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1940, 4th edition 2015.
CONDITION
In Great Condition - no damage.
TEA POT
Height: 14cm
Width: 20 x 8.5cm
SUGAR BOWL
Height: 10cm
Width: 16.5 x 6.5cm
CREAM JUG
Height: 9cm
Width: 15 x 6.5cm
TOTAL WEIGHT: 845g