A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese export silver tea caddy, Canton circa 1900, marked Zhou, retailed by Wang Hing

A late 19^th / early 20^th century Chinese export silver tea caddy, Canton circa 1900, marked Zhou, retailed by Wang Hing

Qing dynasty. Of quatrefoil form upon four stepped feet, cylindrical pull off cap topped with chased character 福 (FU, fortune/ good luck). The sides with chased decoration of alternating panels of bamboo, and Chinese dragon’s amidst clouds. Marked underneath with artisan mark 卓 (ZHUO), numeral 90, and retailer’s mark WH. Later Finnish import marks for Helsinki 1967 probably by Seppo Ilmari Toivainen (active 1954-1976).

Height – 10.3 cm / 4.5 inches

Weight – 222 grams / 7.14 ozt

Zhuo

A box with dragon feet, also in this sale, by this workshop and retailed by Kwon Man Shing of Hong Kong, is illustrated Marlowe, A.J. (1990) Chinese Export Silver – Catalogue of an exhibition at the galleries of John Sparks. London: John Sparks Limited, f. 34.

A figural bowl by this workshop and retailed by Zee Wo of Shanghai is illustrated Kwan. S. (2018) Chinese Export Silver – The Muwen Tang Collection. Hong Kong: Muwen Tang Fine Arts Publication Ltd. p. 298-299, f.112.

A dragon stemmed bowl by this workshop and this retailer is illustrated ibid p. 480-481, f. 202.

A dragon goblet by this workshop and this retailer is illustrated ibid p. 482-83, f. 203.

A tea caddy, also in this sale, by this workshop and retailed by Wang Hing, was previously sold these rooms, 3 Nov 2015, lot 359 (£1300 hammer)

A three-piece tea set, with the milk jug by this work shop, the other elements marked for Bao Sheng, each retailed by Wang Hing, sold these rooms, 19 Oct 2022, lot 417 (£2000 incl. prem)