Page 569 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

This superb presentation punch bowl has a pierced scalloped rim and has various traditional Chinese scenes
depicted in heavy repoussé work. The bowl ways in excess of 2kg. The bowl carries an inscription dated 1902.
As with many Chinese silver presentation items, they also act as items of the social history of the times they
were made and presented. But this particular bowl poses a conundrum. The bowl carries the Onn Sing mark and
Onn Sing was a retail silversmith based in Singapore. The bowl, however, was presented to William Watson
Dickinson [it is actually mis-spelled on the bowl’s inscription cartouche] who was a known exporter of wool and
camel hair based in Tientsin [Tianjin]. Tientsin at the beginning of the 20th century was home to several carpet
and rug factories owned and run my Westerners.

The bowl was presented by four Chinese gentlemen who one must assume were probably merchant traders -
Shu Shenpu, Ho Chienmu, Chun Chuling and Liang Chung Yuen.

It is a somewhat strange phenomenon that rare as the Onn Sing mark is, it is invariably an incorrect incuse with
the “S” reversed or the “S” preceding the “O” or even both. While spelling errors were not uncommon in the
English version of Chinese silver marks due mainly to the illiteracy of artisans or their apprentices, to
continually make the same errors is certainly not usual.

While research into Onn Sing is still ongoing, it is highly doubtful a logical reason for this error will ever become
apparent. and is probably just one of the many quirks that exist in the silver category.