Page 176 - Christie's, NYC Important Chinese Works Of Art Sept. 22-23, 2022
P. 176

Important Chinese Rank Badges and Textiles


                                          from The David Hugus Collection

                                       大衛
                                       大衛·許格珍藏重要中國官服補子及織繡
                                             許格珍藏重要中國官服補子及織繡
                                           ·
                                                     (Lots 848–862)


               After a long and decorated military career, Dr. David Hugus began   an even more comprehensive survey of rank badges, he continued
               collecting rank badges in 1991. His interest began after reading articles   to expand his knowledge and to build an encyclopedic collection of
               on the subject by Professor Schuyler Cammann of the University of   badges with the intention of again publishing a text that would stand
               Pennsylvania, which inspired his thirty-year pursuit of learning, teaching   as the most comprehensive on the subject. In 2021, David published
               and collecting Chinese rank badges. Together with the support of his   Chinese Rank Badges: Symbols of Power, Wealth, and Intellect in the
               wife of over fifty years, Nancy, the study and collecting of rank badges   Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2021, which now stands as
               became a hobby as well as a mission-- to decode and publish on the   the most comprehensive text ON THE SUBject of rank badges in the
               sparsely written field of rank badges. In 2000, Hugus co-authored with   English language and is being published in Chinese by Social Sciences
               collector Beverley Jackson, Ladder to the Clouds: Intrigue and Tradition   Academic Press, Beijing. Christie’s is honored to offer the second of
               in Chinese Rank, considered one of the foremost English-language   four sales of Chinese rank badges and textiles from the David Hugus
               texts on the history of Chinese rank badges and one of five non-fiction   collection. Another selection of rank badges will be offered concurrently
               finalists for the Kiriyama Book Award in 2000. Seeing the need for   in the Art of China online sale, which runs from 14-29 September 2022.



                                                              PROPERTY FROM THE DAVID HUGUS COLLECTION
                                                              848
                                                              A BROCADE RANK BADGE OF A QILIN, BUZI
                                                              MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY
                                                              Made for a nobleman, the badge is boldly worked with a recumbent qilin above
                                                              waves, between rock formations and lotus scroll, all below ruyi-shaped clouds.
                                                              15¬ x 15º in. (40 x 39 cm.)

                                                              $10,000-15,000
                                                              PROVENANCE:
                                                              Vancouver collection (by repute).
                                                              John Eric Riis.
                                                              LITERATURE:
                                                              D. Hugus, Chinese Rank Badges: Symbols of Power, Wealth, and Intellect in the
                                                              Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2021, p. 59, no. 5.3.
                                                              Insignia badges were first introduced shortly after the establishment of the
                                                              Ming dynasty in 1368. The earliest laws governing insignia badges date from
                                                              1391,which specified that imperial dukes were permitted to wear badges   PROPERTY FROM THE DAVID HUGUS COLLECTION
                                                              decorated with the mythical qilin. However, during the Ming period, the right
                                                              to actually wear the appropriate badge also had to be granted by the emperor   ~849
                                                              himself as an honor. Rank itself did not entitle even the highest noble to wear   A VERY RARE EMBROIDERED GOLD-GROUND RANK BADGE OF   The orientation of the animal depicted on this rank badge depended on
                                                              insignia badges.                                                   A LEOPARD, BUZI                                     where the wearer would be seated in proximity to the Emperor, as the animal
                                                                                                                                 KANGXI PERIOD (1662-1722)                           on the badge was not permitted to face away from the Emperor. For example,
                                                              A nearly identical badge was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2012, lot   Made for a third-rank military official, the badge is woven with a leopard with   when the badge would have been worn in court, the official would have sat to
                                                              4029. Another badge of this design, but woven on a red ground, in the Chris   spotted fur, shown on top of a rock formation emerging from waves tossed   the right of the Emperor, and when worn in a social setting, the official would
                                                              Hall Collection, is illustrated in B. Jackson and D. Hugus, in Ladder to the   with auspicious emblems, all against a ground of gold-wrapped threads   have sat to the left of the Emperor. The present badge, which features a
                                                              Clouds, 1999, p. 111.                                              interspersed with ruyi-shaped clouds and flames. Details of the leopard, rock   leopard of the third rank facing to the right, would have been worn for social
                                                                                                                                 formation, and borders are worked in green peacock feather filament.  occasions when the official was seated to the left of the emperor.
                                                              DAVID HUGUS 珍藏                                                     12 in. (30.5 cm.) square                            A very similar leopard badge, but dating slightly earlier in the Kangxi period,
                                                              明十七世紀 刺繡麒麟方補                                                                                                           is illustrated by B. Jackson and D. Hugus, Ladder to the Clouds: Intrigue and
                                                                                                                                 $12,000-18,000                                      Tradition in Chinese Rank,1999, p. 227, no. 15.008.
                                                              來源:
                                                              溫哥華私人珍藏 (傳)                                                        PROVENANCE:                                           DAVID HUGUS 珍藏
                                                              John Eric Riis                                                     Jon Eric Riis, San Francisco, acquired prior to 2012.
                                                              展覽:                                                                LITERATURE:                                         清康熙 金地繡武三品豹子方補
                                                              D. Hugus, 「Chinese Rank Badges: Symbols of Power, Wealth, and      D. Hugus, Chinese Rank Badges: Symbols of Power, Wealth, and Intellect in the   來源:
                                                              Intellect in the Ming and Qing Dynasties」, 香港, 2021年, 頁 59, 編號 5.3  Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2021, p. 75, no. 7.11.   Jon Eric Riis, 舊金山, 2012年以前入藏
                                                                                                                                                                                     出版:
                                                                                                                                                                                     D. Hugus, 「Chinese Rank Badges: Symbols of Power, Wealth, and
                                                                                                                                                                                     Intellect in the Ming and Qing Dynasties」, 香港, 2021年, 頁 75, 編號 7.11




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