A cased late 19^th / early 20^th century Chinese export silver three-piece tea service, Canton circa 1900, marked Ye Bo, retailed by Luen Wo of Shanghai

Qing dynasty. Comprising a teapot, a milk jug, a twin handled sugar bowl, and a pair of sugar tongs. Each of globular form upon a rounded collet foot, the teapot with a bamboo modelled handle fitted with ivory insulators, opposite a curved spout modelled as bamboo, the hinged domed lid surmounted by a detachable finial modelled a bamboo cane above a bamboo leaf calyx. The bodies with cast and applied decoration of chrysanthemums. The milk and sugar with gilt interiors. Each marked underneath with artisan mark 葉伯 (YE BO), retailer’s mark LUEN WO and SHANGHAI to the milk and sugar, the teapot with LW twice, the sugar tongs unmarked. Housed in original fitted wooden case.

Teapot length – 23.9 cm / 9.4 inches

Weight – 1292 grams / 41.58 ozt

Case length – 35.2 cm / 13.85 inches

Ye Bo

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

An ewer by this workshop and retailed by Wang Hing, is illustrated Chan. D. (2005) Chinese Export Silver – The Chan Collection. Singapore: The Asian Civilisations Museum. p.33, f.19.

A tea caddy marked for this workshop and retailed by Wang Hing, was sold Christie’s New York, the Posner collection of Chinese Export Silver, 22 Aug 2019, Lot 13 ($2750 incl. prem)

A kettle/teapot by this workshop retailed by Luen Wo of Shanghai with an embossed battle scene was sold these rooms, 19 March 2024 lot 191 (£4500 incl. prem)

A three-piece tea set by this workshop with figural scenes retailed by Sing Fat and Wing Fat, the only recorded example of this combination of workshop with both retailers was sold these rooms 16 May 2022, lot 266 (£9375 incl. prem)

Ivory Declaration: DWYNZDUS