Page 420 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht
P. 420

The  tea  caddy  [right]  is  a  skilful  melange  of  the  neo-classical
            style and form with Chinese overtones with the dragon swirling
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            around it.!
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            !                                                    Kwan Wo was equally happy creating something
            !                                                    totally  Chinese-looking  even  though  the  object
            !                                                    and its use were not particularly Chinese per se.
            !                                                    The  pagoda  form  table  cigar  lighter  [left]  is
            !                                                    probably  an  item  it  sold  as  a  novelty  and  quite
                                                                 probably as a regular item in the repertoire.!
            !                                                    !
            !                                                    Cigar smoking in Hong Kong, with the plethora of
            !                                                    men’s  clubs  that  abounded,  would  have  made
                                                                 this item a must-have.!
            !                                                    !
            !                                                    The addition of the parcel gilded bells is certainly
            !                                                    a novelty but the pagoda itself is almost certainly
            !                                                    an adaption of a pagoda pepperette which was a
                                                                 popular item with many Chinese silversmiths.













                                                                                      The circa 1900 Kwan Wo
                                                                                      card  case  [left]  almost
                                                                                      looks  as  if  two  different
                                                                                      silversmiths  worked  the
                                                                                      front  and  the  obverse
                                                                                      side,  but  this  is  a  piece
                                                                                      with  a  lot  of  character
                                                                                      and is skilfully executed.
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