Page 326 - September 23 to 24 Important Chinese Art Christie's NYC

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF AN AMERICAN GENTLEMAN
1026
AN EXTREMELY RARE EMBROIDERED WOMAN'S COURT
WAISTCOAT, XIAPEI
18TH-19TH CENTURY
The dark blue silk ground is worked in couched gold threads and satin stitch
with a pair of four-clawed profile dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls on the
front, and a front-facing dragon on the back, all amidst clouds, bats and various
precious objects above the terrestrial diagram, the lishui stripe, and a border of
prunus blossoms and butterflies, all surrounding applied rank badges similarly
worked with a paradise flycatcher.
43æ x 43º in. (111.1 x 109.9 cm.)
$15,000-25,000
PROVENANCE:
Linda Wigglesworth, London, 2006.

The xiapei was worn by the wives of Han Chinese officials, who applied
badges representing their husband's rank to the front and back. In this case,
the badges display the paradise flycatcher, indicating that the wearer was
the wife of a ninth-rank civil official. The four-clawed mang dragons beneath
the badge indicate the wearer's hereditary title, which in this case could have
been junjun (Lady of a Commander), xianjun (Lady of a County) or xiangjun
(Lady of a Township).

美國私人珍藏
清十八/十九世紀 藏青地龍紋霞帔 (another view)
來源:
Linda Wigglesworth, 倫敦, 2006年。