The Gerard Collection

 This auction marks only the second time a dedicated sale on this topic has been held. The collection, assembled over the past twenty years, began with a single tea caddy given as a birthday gift. From this, a deep fascination with the aesthetic, forms, markings, and history of Chinese export silver grew, resulting in this remarkable and diverse offering. The pieces, sourced from around the globe, represent an excellent cross-section of typical forms, decorative patterns, and artisans active chiefly in Canton and Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republic periods.

Initially, Chinese export silver mirrored and emanated the Anglo styles produced in London. However, from the mid-19th century, distinct forms and decorations began to emerge, lasting nearly a century and spanning a wide range of vessels and objects.

For further reading on Chinese export silver, retailer’s, their wares and decoration please see our blog here and a selection of past sale successes here.  

Notable Makers

Ye Bo 葉伯

A prominent workshop in Canton noted for finely worked figural or scenic tableau, this workshop almost exclusively supplied the Canton retailer Wang Hing and the Shanghai retailer Luen Wo.

^{Lot 125, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver ewer, Canton circa 1900 marked Ye Bo, retailed by Wang Hing, £2,500-£3,500}

^{Lot 123, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver three-piece tea service, Canton circa 1900, marked Ye Bo, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,200-£1,600}

Sui Chang 遂昌 

The Canton based workshop of Sui Chang is noted for large high-quality wares, particularly with finely pierced decoration such as trays and dragon footed bowls.

^{Lot 108, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver bowl on stand, Canton circa 1900, marked Sui Chang, retailed by Wang Hing, £2,000-£3,000}

^{Lot 13, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver footed bowl, Canton circa 1900, marked Sui Chang, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,000-£1,500}

Tai Chang Long 泰昌隆

This workshop is noted for producing this idiosyncratic form of bowl modelled after the European spittoon, or in Portuguese a cuspidor.

 ^{Lot 120},An early 20th century Chinese export silver “spittoon or cuspidor” bowl, Canton circa 1920, marked Tai Chang Long, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,500-£2,500

  
^{Lot 119,} An early 20th century Chinese export silver pedestal bowl, Canton circa 1920, marked Tai Chang Long, retailed by Wang Hing, £2,000-£3,000

Qiu Ji 求記 

A very prominent Canton workshop, this mark is often to be found on items featuring finely pierced and embossed workmanship, as well as trays with deftly executed engraved and flat chased scenes, such as village life or cranes. The mark reading Qiu Ji, or the workshop of Qiu.

^{Lot 122,A late 19th century Chinese export silver tray, Canton circa 1890, marked Qiu Ji, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,500-£2,500}

^{Lot 117, A late 19th century Chinese export silver tray, Canton circa 1890, marked Qiu Ji, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,500-£2,500}

Quan 泉 

It is likely this mark 泉 (QUAN) alone relates to the mark 泉記 (Quan Ji, the workshop of Quan), having changed around 1880.

^{Lot 2, A mid to late 19th century Chinese export silver standing cup, Canton circa 1870, marked Quan, retailed by Lee Ching, £1,000-£1,500}

^{Lot 124, A late 19th century Chinese export silver standing cup, Canton dated 1886 marked Quan Ji, retailed by Wang Hing, £2,000-£3,000}

Zhuo 卓

A workshop responsible for a variety of decoration over a broad selection of vessels, who is often found supplying Wang Hing.

^{Lot 116, A late 19th century Chinese export silver tea caddy, Canton circa 1890, marked Zhou, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,000-£1,500}

^{Lot 115, An early 20th century Chinese export silver box, Canton circa 1910 marked Zhuo, retailed by Kwon Man Shing of Hong Kong, £1,200-£1,600}

Hou Xiang 厚祥

These workshops were located in Canton and Shanghai. Noted for a variety of bowls and some comports.

^{Lot 111, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver comport or footed tazza, Canton circa 1900, marked Hou Xiang, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,500-£2,500}

^{Lot 100, An early 20th century Chinese export silver bowl, Shanghai circa 1910, marked Hou Xiang, retailed by Wang Hing, £1,000-£2,000}

Hui 匯

An earlier period and quite prolific workshop with many pieces dated to the 1870’s and possibly earlier.

^{Lot 37, A late 19th century Chinese export silver mug, Canton circa 1870, marked Hui, retailed by Cum Wo of Hong Kong, £600-£800}

^{Lot 38, A mid-19th century Chinese export silver cheroot case, Canton circa 1860, marked Hui, retailed by Khe Cheong, £300-£500}

Bao Sheng 寳生

A prominent workshop producing a broad selection of vessels with various patterns of decoration, one that appears to have only supplied the Wang Hing Store retailer, which operated in Canton from the 1860’s, and also from Hong Kong in the early 20^th century.

^{Lot 112, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver jardinière stand, Canton circa 1900, marked Bao Sheng, retailed by Wang Hing, £2,000-£3,000}

Kun He 昆和

A workshop operating in Shanghai from around the turn of the last century producing well-made holloware often using cast and applied decoration and notable dragon bowls.

^{Lot 113, An early 20th century Chinese export silver epergne centrepiece, Shanghai circa 1910, marked Kun He, retailed by Wo Shing, £2,000-£3,000}

Ning Zhao Ji 甯兆記 

A noteable workshop supplying high quality wares including a prominent centrepiece to a variety of retailers, especially Luen Wo of Shanghai.

^{Lot 18, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver goblet, Shanghai circa 1900, marked Ning Zhao Ji, retailed by Tien Sheng of Hong Kong, £700-£900}
 

Heng Lai 恒來

A workshop noted for very high quality decoration often on quite large and detailed vessels.

^{Lot 15, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver jardinière stand, Shanghai circa 1900, marked Heng Lai, retailed by Tuck Chang of Shanghai, £1,200-£1,600}

Chinese silver from other cities 

Outside the main centres of production in Canton and Shanghai (and similarly Hong Kong), there were a selection of makers and retailers operating in other cities throughout China. Often identified by the incorporation of the town name within the marks, distinct idiosyncratic styles of working become identifiable. In the case of Jiujiang where a number of stores operated, most prominently 涂茂興 (TU MAO XING), these wares usually demonstrate tight bands of densely worked decoration often of figural battle scenes alternating with foliage.

Chengdu 成都

^{Lot 22, A rare late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver filigree box, Chengdu circa 1900, attributed to Rong Gao Ying Gold Shop, £600-£800}

Wuhu 蕪湖

^{Lot 23, A late 19th century Chinese export silver comport or tazza, Wuhu circa 1890, marked Bao Qing, £300-£500}

Tianjin 天津

^{Lot 24, An early 20th century Chinese export silver beaker, Tianjin (Tientsin) circa 1910, marked Tai, retailed by Wu Hua and Co, £80-£120}

Beijing 北京

^{Lot 25}, A late 19th century Chinese export silver tray, Beijing (Peking) circa 1890, marked for Wu Hua and Co, £500-£800

Hankou 漢口

^{Lot 26, An early 20th century Chinese export silver three-piece coffee service, Hankou (Hankow) circa 1910, marked Lao Tian Bao, £800-£1,200}

Jiujiang 九江

 ^{Lot 27, A late 19th century Chinese export silver tea caddy, Jiujiang circa 1890, marked Tu Qing Yun, £300-£500}

Eary Silver Caskets

Chinese silver filigree of the Qianlong period has survived over a remarkable array of objects and sets. Several of these caskets of the shape below are known, including seven in the highly important set owned by Catherine The Great (1726-96), which was acquired in Tibet between 1740-50.

^{Lot 34, A mid-18th century Chinese export parcel gilt silver filigree casket, Canton circa 1750, £4,000-£6,000}

^{Lot 35, A late 18th century Chinese export parcel gilt silver filigree and enamel casket, Canton circa 1780, £5,000-£8,000}

Mugs, Tea Caddies, Standing Cups, and Boxes

^{Lot 1, A late 19th century Chinese export silver mug, Canton circa 1870, marked Feng Zhao Ji, £1,000-£1,500}

^{Lot 109, A late 19th century Chinese export silver mug, Canton circa 1890, marked Shen Chang, £800-£1,200}

^{Lot 6, A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver tea caddy, Canton circa 1900, marked Ye Bo, retailed by Wang Hing, £600-£800}

^{Lot 110, An early 20th century Chinese export silver tea caddy, Shanghai circa 1920 marked for Shan Ji, retailed by Luen Hing, £600-£800}

^{Lot 11, A mid to late 19th century Chinese export silver goblet, Canton circa 1870-80, marked Feng Zhao Ji, retailed by Lee Ching, £500-£800}

^{Lot 33, An early 20th century Chinese export silver standing cup, Canton and Shanghai dated 1905, marked An Chang, retailed by Luen Wo of Shanghai, £1,500 - £2,500}

^{Lot 89, A late 19th century Chinese export silver box, Canton circa 1890, marked Shan Zhang, retailed by Cum Shing, £600-£800}

^{Lot 106, An early 20th century Chinese export silver box, Shanghai circa 1910, marked Xiang Long, retailed by Hung Chong, £600-£800}

Bibliography

Dr Adrien Von Ferscht is the leading scholar in the study of Chinese export silver and its marks, publishing this research in the online third edition of Chinese Export Silver – the definitive collector’s guide (2015). We are grateful to Dr Adrien for the generous support given to the department over the years with aid to cataloguing and identifying marks for Chinese export silver.

Kwan. S. (2018) Chinese Export Silver – The Muwen Tang Collection. Hong Kong: Muwen Tang Fine Arts Publication Ltd.

Chan. L. (2017) The Silver Age – Origins and Trade of Chinese Export Silver. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Maritime Museum. 

Chan. D. (2005) Chinese Export Silver – The Chan Collection. Singapore: The Asian Civilisations Museum. 

Marlowe, A.J. (1990) Chinese Export Silver – Catalogue of an exhibition at the galleries of John Sparks. London: John Sparks Limited

For further examples of Chinese Export silver, but with outdated mark attributions, see:

Forbes, Crosby, H.A., Devereux Kernan, J., & Wilkins, R.S. (1975) Chinese Export Silver 1785 to 1885. Massachusetts: Museum of the American China Trade.

Also:

Devereux Kernan, J. (1985) The Chait Collection of Chinese Export Silver. New York: Chait Gallery