Page 143 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht
P. 143
BAO CHENG
Tientsin [Tianjin]
circa 1895-1920
Bao Cheng was known to be one of the oldest of the group of Tianjin merchants known as the “eight great
families [ba ja jia]. Sadly, it is a silver mark that is rare to come across and for this reason currently there is only
one recorded image for an actual Bao Cheng item. However, this item clearly shows that Bao Cheng was making
silver in what we would recognise as the “Straits Chinese” style, so one may assume from this that Bao Cheng
was possibly creating silver for that market. This has now given a focus for further research for this silversmith.
A circa 1900 cup and saucer carrying the Bao Cheng marks and clearly showing a quite definitive “Straits” style.