Page 17 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

One must also factor into this complex equation the demise of the clipper sailing ships and
the introduction of steam ships. Whereas clipper ships required physical ballast that mainly
consisted of small cargoes, steamships required water as ballast. Within the context of the
China Trade, silver wares were always a ballast cargo and as such it theoretically travelled
free of charge. The phased introduction of steamships coincided with the opening of the
Suez Canal which reduced the physical journey length to Britain by 7000 kilometres.
These two phenomena occurring in parallel to the rise of the Chinese affluent middle class
were responsible for significant changes in the silver style being produced in China.

Bearing this in mind, realigns our perspective of where much of the silver wares
manufactured in China from 1890-1930 were sold and for whom they were intended. My
own view is that had the word “export” not been applied in the 1960’s, this unique
silver category would be perceived entirely differently today, particularly so in China.

In China, since the inception of the Cultural Revolution, many artefacts connected with the
Qing Dynasty are not officially considered important items of historical heritage. To
Westerners this probably seems strange and in fact the reality is that it is, but for well over
half a century, this official mindset has had a drip-down effect on the collective perception
of an entire nation. The amount of silver items produced in China in the 155 year
manufacturing period of Chinese Export Silver was vast, yet a visit to the National Museum
in Beijing yields not one example of late 18th, 19th or 20th century Chinese silver! What is
effectively a conscious censorship of artistic and creative heritage items will eventually
take its toll on the nation’s collective awareness.

Chinese silver from the latter half of the 19th century was, more often than not, decorated
with traditional Chinese motifs, however it is important to remember that what might be
perceived as being “exotic” in the West is imbued with rich allegorical meaning when seen
through Chinese eyes. It is this fusion of two cultures and two hemispheres that makes
Chinese Export Silver so special; it reveals an intricate cultural history as well as a frozen
snapshot in time of the period each particular silver item was made.

No other silver category delivers this.

Knowing this, one surely needs to think more seriously about who this silver was created
for. If all this silver was supposedly made for export, why was such care taken to preserve
the integrity of the allegorical decorative motifs and scenes when the meaning would have
been unapparent to a Westerner.

Putting all this into the context of Chinese Export Silver, the Chinese generally know little
about it and if they do it is quite likely they perceive it with a degree of resentment because
it might come with reminders of past history they would rather not remember. This is
further exacerbated by the title “Chinese Export Silver”; which conveys a message to many
Chinese that it was never intended for them and therefore they feel no affinity with it.

It is my hope that over the next few years will shall see a renewed Chinese awareness of a
very important part of its heritage and history. The Chinese generally have not been
subjected to the fact that silver-making is as integral to Chinese cultural history as the
porcelain they are very aware of; both having their roots in the Han Dynasty. Unlike
Chinese ceramics, silverwares evolved in China due to centuries of outside influences that
entered via the Silk Road, making for a far more complex primordial soup which eventually
gave birth to an immediately recognisable and fully-formed Chinese style.