Page 137 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

A circa 1895 silver and enamel opium box
beautifully decorated with a vignette of a cricket
feeding and a turnip.
The symbolic meaning of the cricket is
‘happiness’ and ‘auspiciousness’. It was a
popular decorative motif on men’s clothing,
particularly silver buckles.

The use of a turnip implies ‘money’ and ‘wealth’.

Opium boxes were often decorated in enamel,
sometimes even cloisonné.

Only a handful of 19th and 20th century
silversmiths particularly stand out from the
crowd, but Bao Cheng, Beijing, definitely does
and Chinese collectors who appear to crave
works bearing the silver mark are absolutely
correct to do so.

Chinese collectors particularly favour silver and
enamel combination pieces.

Images courtesy of http://chinese-export-silver.com Image Library Archive