Page 463 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht
P. 463
LAO QING YUN [aka: QING YUN]
Tientsin [Tianjin]
circa 1783- [end date as yet undetermined - thought to be circa 1890-1900]
Qing Yun has no connection with Lao Qing Yun, Shanghai. The mark sometimes appears with the addition of the
word ‘lao’ - meaning shop.
The Tientsin silversmith, Qing Yun -
as with many of the Tientsin
silversmiths, had an ability the
create superb silver wares without
bowing to fashions that were
widely prevalent when this box
[left] was made. circa1860-70.
This box comes packed with allegorical meaning and the silversmith has obviously taken great delight in
making this. It is an extraordinary box and an example of Chinese silver making at its very best.
Decorated with a bat, it is feeding off a stylised peach fruit - in traditional Chinese art peaches have a symbolic
meaning of longevity and immortality. The combination of bats and peaches conveys the allegorical meaning
of “May both blessings and longevity be complete in your life”.
