A late 19th century Chinese export silver three-piece tea service, Jiujiang circa 1890 by Tu Mao Xing

A late 19^th century Chinese export silver three-piece tea service, Jiujiang circa 1890 by Tu Mao Xing

Qing dynasty. Comprising a teapot, a milk jug, and a twin handled sugar bowl. Each of compressed lobed globular form upon a shaped circular foot chased as clouds. The teapot with a curved spout opposite a C scroll handle fitted with ivory insulators pinned to sockets, leading to a hinged lid surmounted by a finial formed as a branch with four wirework section leading to chased leaves. The bodies with chased decoration of panels of warriors on horseback alternating with bamboo, below a band of meander scroll. The spout base chased as a dragon’s head. The teapot marked underneath with town mark 九江 (JIUJIANG), and artisan mark twice 涂茂興 (TU MAO XING), and standard mark 足紋 (ZU WEN), the sugar with each underneath, the milk with town mark and maker’s mark only. (3)

Teapot length – 21 cm / 8.25 inches

Weight – 814 grams / 26.17 ozt

Tu Mao Xing is regarded as one of the best silversmiths of Chinese export silver, and certainly the lead from the region of Jiujiang.

Another set of similar form by this maker was sold Christie’s Paris, 13-14 Dec 2022, lot 106 (€5040 incl. prem)

Ivory registration: VMC27WJS