Qing Dynasty (19th century) Chinese Manchu style robe decorated in embroidered dragons chasing flaming pearls (symbolizing the Buddhist notion of enlightenment) executed in gold-couched thread on a blue silk ground. The eight full-face and profile four-clawed dragons are surrounded by clouds and various auspicious symbols. The dragon's eyes are accented in black and white. An embroidered panel surrounding the neckline is filled with additional dragons running across the top of waves. The bo ...click for details
Chinese Qing dynasty (19th century) Daoist priest’s robe densely embroidered in a pattern of complex iconographical symbols set against a pale celadon silk background created entirely from satin-stitch embroidery. The style is the traditional rectangular front-opening form which rests on the shoulders and has the lower part of the sides sewn together to form armholes. The center back is embroidered with a flame-bordered circular cartouche containing a pagoda flanked by flying birds. Fifteen d ...click for details
Chinese late Qing dynasty (19th century) front-opening Han style lady's jacket embroidered with pale blue and white satin stitch flowers with Peking knot ("forbidden stitch") accents on a cobalt blue silk satin ground. The sleeve bands feature bats and Peking knot embroidered flowers set against a golden background. Three metal buttons secure the front. Measures 53" from sleeve tip to sleeve tip and 35” in length. The robe and lining are both in very good overall condition ...click for details
Chinese late Qing dynasty (late 19th century) woman's rank badge embroidered with a central satin-stitched silver pheasant with very nicely detailed feathers. A single bat hovers below the sun at the upper right. This Mandarin square would have been worn by the wife of a 5th rank civil official. The badge is backed with stiff paper covered with blue silk and is bordered on the front in red silk. This rank badge measures 8 3/8"V x 9 1/8"H. It is in very good overall condition w ...click for details
Mid-20th century Japanese woven obi decorated with gold fans set against an orange-red and black background. Very good overall condition with no wear evident. A few barely visible black stains are on the front background (see enlargement 2) and there are a few larger black stains along the edge of the orange-red lining. Measures about 75" long x 10 1/4" wide.
Late Qing Dynasty (19th century) Chinese lady’s front-opening summer gauze kesi surcoat decorated with eight polychrome roundels, featuring a central crane surrounded by butterflies and flowers, set against a dark cobalt blue ground. The crane motif indicates the robe would have been worn by the wife of a first-rank civil official. The sleeve ends are decorated with a water and wave motif. The bottom of the robe is decorated in the traditional pattern of waves, stylized mountains, and diagona ...click for details
Large Chinese panel embroidered in polychrome and gilt metallic threads with five 4-clawed and 5-clawed dragons depicted in full-face and profile poses against a maroon felt ground. Each dragon is surrounded by clouds and is chasing a flaming pearl (symbolizing the Buddhist notion of enlightenment). The border is decorated in the diagonal bands of upright water (li shui), waves, and a central stylized mountain. This textile would likely have been used as a table or altar frontal. I estimate it ...click for details
19th century (Qing Dynasty) Chinese Manchu style robe embroidered in gold couched threads highlighted in copper and blue-grey metallic threads with 8 visible 5-clawed dragons, plus one hidden dragon on the inside flap, depicted in full-face and profile poses against a blue ground. Each dragon is chasing a flaming pearl (symbolizing the Buddhist notion of enlightenment) and is surrounded by clouds and various auspicious symbols. The dragon's eyes are accented in blue, black, and white polyc ...click for details
Extraordinary 19th century (Qing Dynasty) Chinese Manchu style silk robe embroidered in polychrome and gilt metallic threads with 8 visible 5-clawed dragons, plus one hidden dragon on the inside flap, depicted in full-face and profile poses against a blue ground. Each dragon is chasing a flaming pearl (symbolizing the Buddhist notion of enlightenment) and is surrounded by clouds and various auspicious symbols. An embroidered panel surrounding the neckline is filled with additional dragons runn ...click for details
Qing Dynasty Chinese Manchu style summer silk gauze robe decorated in copper colored metallic threads with a brocade pattern featuring 8 visible 5-clawed dragons, plus one hidden dragon on the inside flap, depicted in full-face and profile poses against a blue ground. Each dragon is chasing a flaming pearl (symbolizing the Buddhist notion of enlightenment) and is surrounded by clouds and various auspicious symbols. The dragon's eyes are accented in black and white. An embroidered panel su ...click for details
Chinese silk embroidered "cloud collar" decorated with flowers, scrolling foliage and bats embroidered in polychrome silk on a coral silk ground. Significant use of the "forbidden stitch." Cloud collars were detachable. They presumably could be worn with different sets of clothes. The five lobed panels are embroidered in bats, so ornately rendered using the "forbidden stitch" that they appear to be butterflies. Called the "forbidden stitch," or "b ...click for details
Chinese silk embroidered padded winter skirt composed of two overlapping panels. An antique vessel surrounded by a collage of auspicious symbols is finely executed in the "forbidden stitch" (known as "da zi," or seed stitch, in Chinese) on the front and back panels. A black border densely embroidered in polychrome silk flowers and scrolling foliage with heavy gold-couched thread highlights accents the skirt bottom and panels. Applied black and embroidered ribbons define th ...click for details
