Page 814 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

WAN SHUN
Wú Hú, Anhui Province
circa 1900-1930

This is an unusual mark to come across - Wu Hu is also not a location synonymous with silver making.

Wúhú is an historic city on the Yangtze River and was one of the earliest treaty ports to be established after the
Treaty of Nanking in 1842. As such, the city had during that time a distinct British influence, in particular with
the spread of Christianity, although the Jesuits had been active there prior. Rice, tea and wood were flourishing
industries until the War Lord Era of the 1920’s-1930’s.

Wúhú does have a long heritage of metal-work, including iron and furnace usage going back to the Iron Age .

In 1937, Wúhú was occupied by the Japanese which was a prelude to the Battle of Nanking and the Nanking
Massacre.

The following illustrated example of Wan Shun silver is of quite historic significance, even though it is 20th
century. It is a strange melange of styles, both Western and Chinese but twitch Chinese being the overall
“winner”, and is further of interest because of the woven cane work on the handle which is redolent of similar
work used by European silversmiths