Antique Chinese Silver Rosewater Sprinkler, Qing Dynasty, China

£1,800.00

Description

This antique Chinese silver sprinkler was made in Canton in the middle of the 19th century. Despite its age, it can still be easily disassembled by unscrewing the various parts, which allows the globular container to be filled with scent. The rose, or sprinkler, is in the shape of a flower, ornamented with chasing, which tops an elegant elongated neck flaring gently outwards towards the top and bottom. The line of the neck is interrupted by one protruding flanged knop, which facilitates grip and allows the rose to be unscrewed from the neck. The lowest part of the neck is encircled by a border of large perpendicular acanthus leaves above a convex ring knop with plain borders, also ornamented with flowers and leaves. A similar but larger knop ornaments the short stem between the globular body and the pedestal foot.

Four panels of ornament, of two designs, adorn the top of the foot. Two are unframed and show paeony flowers, buds and foliage, a popular Chinese design. These alternate with two panels in collar shaped frames which show fruits, possibly strawberries, with foliage. These panels have been ornamented using repousse and chased techniques.

The reservoir which contains the rosewater has no ornamentation to the area nearest the top but around the widest part, there is a riotous border of flowers and foliage. The leaves arch and curl, showing great movement and the veins of the leaves and the centres of the flowers have been finely and expertly chased showing both great expertise and restraint.

The Sprinkler has two silver marks to the underside of the base, the ‘Gothic K’ mark and a Chinese character mark. The ‘Gothic K’ mark was used between the years of 1830 and 1880, approximately. The photo of the underside of the vessel also shows a distinctive quadri-lobed nut, a characteristic and distinctive shape which is only ever found on silver objects of Chinese origin.

The Canton retail silversmith who used the ‘Gothic K’ mark, created a wide range of objects including items of Judaica and Islamic silver of Chinese form but with little Chinese ornamentation, suggesting that a significant portion of their clients were either Muslim or Jewish. Rosewater sprinklers were used ceremonially by Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews as well as by Muslims, at weddings, feasts and in welcoming ceremonies. There were a significant number of affluent Jewish and Muslim merchants living in Hong Kong and China who were involved in the China Trade during the late 19th century. They came mainly from India, the Middle East or countries along the Silk Road as did other traders living in these parts who were also involved in trading with China.

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Product REF: 10049