CHINA, QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795) OR LONDON, CIRCA 1770

This elegant knife and sheath finely chased and enameled en basse-taille in the 18th century European taste is part of a small group of knives similar in shape, size and richness used by members of the imperial court. Originally used as hunting knives by the Manchus for whom “The use of personal knives at meals was a mark of Manchu identity. When eating sacrificial pork, not only men but also women were expected to cut up their own meat. Knives with other eating utensils formed part of the dowries of princesses and even maidservants” (C. Ho and B. Bronson, Splendors of China’s Forbidden City: The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong, Chicago, 2004, p. 201, No 248).

Traditionally these knives would have been worn suspended to a belt or girdle as seen on the ‘Portrait of the Qianlong Emperor As a Young Man’ illustrated here and in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, New York (42.141.8) and were part of the court costumes worn by the Manchu-led ruling imperial family of the Qing dynasty which governed China from 1644 to 1912.The Metropolitan Museum in New York holds in its collection a similar imperial knife and sheath (60.107a, b) inlaid on the spine of the blade with the Qianlong mark, and enameled in blue basse-taille with trailing floral foliage and animals; meanwhile Stamford Auction Rooms sold 7 February 2025, under lot 278 a hunting knife with similar sheath but a jade handle knife. The present dagger was originally sold in the Loup collection along with a matching etui, now offered as lot 483.