A fine Chinese counted stitch embroidered silk pouch, hebao,...

A fine Chinese counted stitch embroidered silk pouch, hebao, late Qing dynasty, possibly Imperial, finely woven with scholarly objects - an archaistic censer and stand, a weiqi chess board with counter boxes and a bundle of books, within archaistic scroll work borders, the drawstring neck with yellow/gold fabric lining silk lining, the banded yellow chords with pink glass beads in imitation of pink tourmaline, 12.2cm wide According to Linda Wrigglesworth, silk pouches decorated with Imperial yellow strings and tassels, such as the present lot, formed an essential part of the formal outfit worn by the Qing emperors and the highest-ranking members of society. As there were no pockets in gowns or jackets until the beginning of the twentieth century, small purses were usually suspended from the formal court belt, chaodai, serving as receptacles containing daily necessities, such as aromatic items, tobacco, and other small items. They were also used as part of formal ceremonial regalia. Provenance - This item is one of many Chinese objects collected and owned by the eminent Moule family; who travelled from England to China as missionaries in the mid-1800s, and lived and worked there until the early 1920s. The items were subsequently passed down to their present-day English descendants, the Gurneys. The Ven. Dr Arthur Evans Moule (1836-1918) was a missionary in China for nearly fifty years and was Archdeacon of Mid-China. He was also a poet and wrote several notable books* about China. He and his wife had six sons, one of whom, William Augustus Handley Moule (1870-1946), was the headmaster of the CMS Anglo-Chinese School in Shanghai for 34 years, as well as a first-class sportsman! * Three of his major books are The Glorious Land (1891), New China and Old (3d ed., 1902), and Half a Century in China (1911).

Stima:239,72€

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