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A RARE IMPERIAL MIDNIGHT-BLUE GOLD AND SILVER Surcoats of the upper ranks of the Imperial nobility were decorated
COUCHED PRINCE’S SURCOAT, BUFU with dragon roundels. Bufu with four front-facing dragon roundels
18th/early 19th century were assigned to all the sons of the emperor, huangzi, while princes
The front-opening coat secured by a gilt-metal button at the neck, of the first rank, qinwang, usually a title bestowed upon the emperor’s
intricately couched in gold and silver-wrapped threads with four front- brothers, were allowed front-facing dragons on the front and back
facing five-clawed dragon roundels on the front, back and shoulders, with side-facing dragons on the shoulders.
each dragon in pursuit of a flaming pearl, surrounded by dense cloud
scrolls over churning waves, the eyes with embroidered details, lined The bufu was worn over a dragon robe, as a result the edges of the
with pale-yellow silk. sleeves and hems were left unadorned in order to reveal the horse
50 1/2in (128.2cm) long hoof cuffs and lishui border of the robe beneath.
US$20,000 - 30,000 A 19th century embroidered gauze qinwang bufu was sold at
Christie’s New York, 24 March 2004, lot 30; and a late 18th/19th
century gauze example, also made for a qinwang was sold at
十八/十九世紀初 御製石青緞盤金四團龍皇子補服 Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May 2014, lot 3351. A mid-19th century
uncut kesi yardage with four front-facing dragon roundels was sold at
Christie’s, South Kensington, 9 November 2012, lot 1291.
70 | BONHAMS
