Page 606 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht
P. 606
QING YUN [aka: LAO 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 is sometimes 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.
It comes packed with allegorical meaning and the silversmith has obviously taken great delight in making this.
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”.
