ANTIQUE 19thC CHINESE EXPORT SOLID SILVER FINGER BOWL & PLATE, WANG HING c.1880
Antique late-19th Century Chinese export solid silver fruit bowl on plate, of exceptionally fine quality, intricately chased and embossed depicting a compendium of various designs and themes, two shaped panels depicting densely populated scenes, with nobility surrounded by buildings and trees and battle scenes, the other four panels depicting birds flying amongst blooming cherry blossom and bamboo forests and other two dragons amongst clouds.
Hallmarked with Chinese character marks for Wang Hing / Bo (Canton), 90 (900+ silver standard), Retail mark WH, Wang Hing & Company.
Reference Number: A8818
DESCRIPTION
Antique late-19th Century Chinese export solid silver fruit bowl on plate, of exceptionally fine quality, intricately chased and embossed depicting a compendium of various designs and themes, two shaped panels depicting densely populated scenes, with nobility surrounded by buildings and trees and battle scenes, the other four panels depicting birds flying amongst blooming cherry blossom and bamboo forests and other two dragons amongst clouds.
The front with a vacant shield shaped cartouche surrounded a scene depicting nobility conversing around a table. The decoration is extremely crisp and detailed, the bowl demonstrates almost all the patterns and decorative techniques used in Chinese export silver, such as engraved stylised flowers, foliage, bamboo leaves, birds, animals and the most popular and sought after village scenes depicting nobility. The top rim applied with a reeded band and bowl fitted to an underplate, engraved with bamboo leaves and decorated with village scenes along the edge.
Hallmarked with Chinese character marks for Wang Hing / Bo (Canton), 90 (900+ silver standard), Retail mark WH, Wang Hing & Company. "The most important and renown Chinese Export luxury retailer and silver manufacturer active in Hong Kong, Canton and Shanghai". (A. Von Ferscht, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1940, 5th edition 2015)
Wang Hing started trading in Canton soon after 1842 when, with the end of the First Opium War and the treaty of Nanking, China opened its ports to foreign merchants and Hong Kong became a British colony.
Wang Hing was the trading name chosen by the Lo family who established the business and passed it down for generations until 1941. Although we don’t have any information about the founder of the company, we know that the Lo family was a wealthy merchant family living in one of the richest and buzzing areas of Canton, the district of Xiguan.
Thanks to the fine quality of the pieces and to the entrepreneurial abilities of the family members, the reputation of the firm grew and in 1920’s Lo Hung Tong, grandson of the founder, opened a shop at 10 Queen’s Road, Hong Kong and in Shanghai. Wang Hing artworks became very popular among Western clients, who often commissioned trophies and presentation pieces decorated with the traditional Chinese motifs such as dragons, bamboo leaves and prunus blossoms. In 1941 with the Japanese invasion, the Lo family was forced to flee to mainland China and the business ceased trading.
CONDITION
In Great Condition - No Damage.
SIZE
Height: 9cm
Width: 19cm
Weight: 535g