A VERY RARE IMPERIAL GOLD AND PEARL INLAID ALOESWOOD ROSARY, SHOU CHUAN

细节

A VERY RARE IMPERIAL GOLD AND PEARL INLAID ALOESWOOD ROSARY, SHOU CHUAN
19TH CENTURY

Comprising nineteen fragrant wood beads each inlaid with gold granule florets forming four stylised shou characters, suspending from a double-gourd bead an eternal knot and terminating in two toggles carved as bats grasping cash symbols, spaced with clusters of seed pearls, together with the original circular white brass box engraved with a double happiness medallion, surrounded by birds and flowers, the base with a maker's mark, Lian sheng
11 in. (28 cm.) long

拍品专文

A comparable though less elaborate rosary of fragrant wood with jadeite and tourmaline is in the National Palace Museum, Taibei, illustrated in Qingdai Fushi Zhanlang Tulu (Qing Dynasty Costume Accessories), no. 65, p. 139.

Gold inlaid wood jewellery seems to have been a speciality of the Qing court. Compare with other accessories including two pairs of bangles also inlaid with shou characters from the Palace Museum collection, Beijing, illustrated in Qingdai Houfei Shoushi, no. 270 and 271 and also a hairpin, bian fang, sold in these Rooms, Imperial Sale, 27 April 1997, lot 95.

(US$7,000-10,000)