Page 520 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht
P. 520
A tiny masterpiece; a
mustard pot fashioned as
a prunus trunk. The bared
s t r i p o f b a r k i s a
traditional Chinese
a l l e g o r i c a l m o t i f
symbolising the flow of
life. The prunus flower is
the first tree to flower in
the spring, meaning
endurance and hope.
A total extravaganza, this picture frame
using a melange of bamboo foliage and
prunus blossom is Art Nouveau arriving in
the heart of Shanghai.
The combination of bamboo and flowering
prunus symbolises a married couple, known
as “the double happiness of bamboo and
plum” [zhú méi shuāngxĭ].
Bamboo and prunus come together again in this circa 1900 goblet;
an almost ubiquitous object to Chinese silversmiths
