Page 698 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

TAI HUA
WeiHaiWei [Port Edward], Eastern Shandong Province
circa 1880-1930

WeiHeiWei was leased to Britain as a naval base between 1898-1930 and this is an important fact to remember
since it greatly influenced the silver items that Tai Hua offered.

Did Tai Hua have any connection with Tai Shan of Beijing, Tai
Ping of Hong Kong or Tai Kut of Canton? In my opinion, no -
but as yet I still have an open mind while research continues.
In general, Tai Hua silver items are carefully geared to either
appeal to foreign residents, including the British or are
created as special orders.

The stamp holder [left] is typical of such silver. Stamp holders
were not that common in any country’s silver repertoire, let
alone China - but certainly towards the end of the Victorian
era and through the Edwardian era they were considered as
necessary as, say, a silver toothpick might have been. They
were an acceptable luxury, but certainly important to a
gentleman who spent an extensive time travelling or away
from home.