Page 395 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht
P. 395
KHE CHEONG [KHECHEONG]
2 Old China Street, Canton & Club Street, Honam Island, Canton
circa 1820-1890
Khe Cheong was one of the most important retail silversmiths operating in Canton from the early 19th century;
with many of the most significant pieces of Chinese Export Silver carrying the Khe Cheong mark. It was a retail
silversmith whose silver marks fall into two categories; the so-called pseudo-hallmark and the more
conventional “KHC” mark in Latin letters, usually accompanied with a Chinese character artisan silversmith
mark. What is not yet known is whether Khe Cheong operated its own workshops within which the artisans
worked or whether small independent workshops supplied the retailer. Research into this is ongoing.
What is clear is the name Khe Cheong stood for a house of superior quality, ranging from the superb neo-
classical cutlery that was produced in the early part of the 19th century; a production that was considerable and
