Page 134 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht
P. 134
BAO CHENG
Beijing
circa 1890-1949
This silver and enamel vase carries the mark of Bao
Cheng Beijing [above right] and appears it may have
had a connection with Bao Cheng Shanghai, given
silver bearing that mark was also noticeably more
diverse than most Shanghai marks.
Beijing was historically the home of enamel and
cloisonné ware; this Bao Cheng item and mark is
the first example that has come within the realms of
this research, yet it is reasonable to assume this
was an established Beijing base of Bao Cheng. The
majority of enamel artisan artists were based in
Beijing.
Despite claims to the contrary, no connection can
be found with the Bao Cheng Silver Store that is
known to have operated in Shanghai between
1920-1933 or the more recent Bao Cheng that is part
of the Yayi Gold Company Ltd.
It is quite common for large silver or jewellery
companies in China to claim a hereditary link with
known historic companies; a practice which is
somewhat dubious, as in the claim of a century-old
tradition [see below]:
