Page 100 - Bonhams, FIne Chinese Art, Linda Wrigglesworth Collection, May 13, 2021 London

84
A PAIR OF EMBROIDERED SILK ‘DRAGON’ ROUNDELS FOR A Only the family members closest to the emperor, and indeed the
NOBLEWOMAN emperor himself, were allowed to wear garments decorated with
19th century dragons clutching the flaming pearl of wisdom, a quality which the
Finely couched in fine gold-wrapped thread, each with a side-facing emperor must possess. Therefore, when the dragon grasped the
dragon clutching a flaming pearl below a Shou medallion, all amidst pearl, as opposed to chasing it, it indicated that its wearer had gained
multi-coloured ruyi clouds and water designs interspersed with the a very high favour with the emperor. The insignia coats tailored for
Eight Buddhist Emblems and six bats, each suspending a wan symbol Manchu women were known as longgua, and differed from their male
on a dark midnight-blue silk ground. counterpart in style and decoration. They were full length, and for
Each 27cm (10 5/8in) diam. (2). the highest-ranking women had eight dragon roundels. After 1759,
the empress and Dowager empress were assigned two types of
£2,000 - 3,000 surcoat: one type decorated only with eight roundels, the other with
CNY18,000 - 27,000 the addition of the lishui, a standing water border at the hem. The two
highest ranks of Imperial consorts and crown princesses were allowed
十九世紀 彩繡團龍紋圓補 to use both styles of longgua. The three lower ranks of Imperial
consorts wore a similarly-shaped surcoat, but with profile-dragons
displayed in the roundels decorating the lower part of the garment;
Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth, London see L.Wrigglesworth and G.Dickinson, The Imperial Wardrobe,
David Wrigglesworth, 2003 London, 1990, pp.186-189.

來源：倫敦Linda Wrigglesworth In style, the present roundels closely compare with those featured
David Wrigglesworth，2003年 on a high-ranking ladies kesi surcoat, early 19th century, illustrated
by V.Garrett, Chinese Dress: From the Qing Dynasty to the Present,
Finely embroidered with sinuous resplendent dragons clutching flaming Clarendon VM, 2007, p.45, fig.70.
pearls, these roundels would most probably have been made for a
surcoat worn by one of the highest-ranking Imperial consorts. Compare with a related silk embroidered dragon roundel, late Qing
dynasty, similarly decorated with the Eight Buddhist Emblems and with
the dragon clutching the flaming pearl, which was sold at Christie’s
New York, 18 July 2018, lot 77.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
96 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.