Page 150 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

BAO XIANG
Beijing
circa 1880-1925

A rare mark to find.

A pair of Chinese
E x p o r t S i l v e r
ceremonial columns
[Huabiao], each with a
mythical den long [aka
hou] seated upon the
removable traditional
dew-collecting plate.
The column, with a
dragon amidst clouds
above waves in semi-
relief and a “cloud
board”, on a hexagonal
waisted plinth, the
square base enclosed
by a balustrade of
reticulated dragons
confronting a flaming
pearl to the lower
panels.
Given these could well
be a bespoke-made
tributary item, it is
unclear whether Bao
Xing was a retail
s i l v e r s m i t h o f a
manufacturing
silversmith, possibly
even attached to the
Imperial Court.
Certainly, huabiao
columns in silver are
very rare.

Image courtesy of Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions, UK

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