A late 19th / early 20^th century Chinese export silver inkstand, Canton circa 1900, marked Qiao Yuan Sheng, retailed by Luen Wo of Shanghai

Qing dynasty, of rectangular form raised upon four ball feet, the sides with embossed and pierced decoration of trailing Chinese dragons, the front and back centred by a flaming scared pearl vacant cartouche. The interior as a removable hardwood panel with screw affixed elements of a silver pen or nib recess, two cuboidal inkwells with hinged bulbous lids, centred by a head of a Chinese dragon with cut sheet frills heightened with engraving and tubular horns forming a pen rest. The inkwells with chased decoration of alternating panels of figural scenes amidst trees, bamboo, peonies, and flowering prunus, the hinged lids with a chased band of peonies around a vacant circle. The inkwell interiors with removable clear glass liners. Together with an associated dip pen, with chased decoration of peonies, possibly marked IM or WI. Marked underneath stand only with artisan mark 盛原巧 (QIAO YUAN SHENG), and with retailer’s mark L.W.

Length – 19.1 cm / 7.5 inches

Weight of silver elements – 583 grams / 18.74 ozt

Qiao Yuan Sheng

This mark is noted especially on inkstands.

A plain form inkstand with bamboo model pen rest by this maker and retailed by Hung Chong of Shanghai is illustrated Marlowe, A.J. (1990) Chinese Export Silver – Catalogue of an exhibition at the galleries of John Sparks. London: John Sparks Limited. p.41 f.23.

A very similarly formed example with wooden base, retailed by Tuck Chang of Shanghai is illustrated Chan. D. (2005) Chinese Export Silver – The Chan Collection. Singapore: The Asian Civilisations Museum. p.61, f.69.

A beaker by this workshop and retailed by Tin Shing of Hong Kong is illustrated Kwan. S. (2018) Chinese Export Silver – The Muwen Tang Collection. Hong Kong: Muwen Tang Fine Arts Publication Ltd. p.262-263, f.94.

Another inkstand by this maker and retailed by Hung Chong of Shanghai was offered at these rooms 11 Oct 2023, lot 147

A milk jug dated 1897 by this workshop, and retailed by Wo Shing of Shanghai, will be offered these rooms, 8 Oct 2024.