A CHINESE MANCHU NOBLEWOMAN'S INFORMAL KESI SILK RED-GROUND ROBE, DANPAO
清十九世紀晚期 紅地緙絲松鶴圖道袍

A CHINESE MANCHU NOBLEWOMAN'S INFORMAL KESI SILK RED-GROUND ROBE, DANPAO

Qing Dynasty, Late 19th Century

清十九世紀晚期 紅地緙絲松鶴圖道袍

The lightweight robe decorated with roundels composed of solitary cranes encircled by bands of colourful blossoms, leafy stems and gourds, the lower section decorated with polychrome lishui waves converging on a rocky outcrop flanked by emerging dragons and various auspicious emblems wrapped in flowing ribbon, with black-ground ends and trim with similar crane roundel decorations, the reverse similarly-decorated to the front, all on a bright red ground

138cm long, 186cm wide (sleeve tip to tip)

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PROVENANCE:

From the collection of General Sir Herbert Vaughan Cox, an honorary member of the Military Order of the Dragon, acquired in China circa 1900 during his military service abroad during the Boxer Rebellion; thence by descent.

Herbert Vaughan Cox was a British officer in the Indian Army. Early in his career he served in the closing stages of the Second Anglo-Afghan War and was promoted lieutenant. He transferred to the Madras Staff Corps in 1882 and served in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885–1886 with the 21st Madras Infantry. In 1900 he served in China during the Boxer Rebellion, for which he received the China War Medal (1900).

When the First World War broke out, he was given command of the 29th Indian Brigade in Egypt, Arabia and Gallipoli, where he was wounded. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in October 1915 for distinguished services in the field. He was later promoted to General, and appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 1921 Birthday Honours following his retirement. He died in 1923.

The Military Order of the Dragon was an exclusive fraternal order founded in 1900 by members of the China Relief Expedition, a U.S. military force that participated in the Boxer Rebellion in China.

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NOTE:

See a comparable robe, described as a semi-formal court robe, sold at Bonham's San Francisco, 21 June 2011, lot 8244. Another comparable robe was offered at Sotheby's New York, 18 March 2014, lot 391. See a similar 'cranes' robe, described as a 'Manchu wedding robe', sold at Christie's London, 7 Nov 2014, lot 540.

A similar robe is housed in the collection of the Saint Louis Art Museum, dated as being either Guangxu or Xuantong period, object number 259:1986; and another can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object number 49.32.125.

(Quantity:1)