Antique Chinese Export Silver  -  Chrysanthemum Bowl
Luen Wo  -  Shanghai  c1900

Superb example of late 19th Century Chinese Export Silver
A large bowl elaborately decorated with cast Chrysanthemum Appliqué
Solid Silver - At least 925. equivalent purity
Purchased from a prestigious London retailer as a christening gift in 1951,
remaining in the same family since.

This example is from Luen Wo of Shanghai, the second largest silver retailer in the city
                                    and with a reputation equalled only by Wang Hing of Canton                
                    The firm mainly produced items in the traditional Chinese style, featuring classical
                                    motifs such as bamboo, prunus, dragons and most famously
chrysanthemums
In late 19th century Shanghai, for the highest quality silver adorned with Chrysanthemums
 one went to Luen Wo

The bowl carries on the base in English the name of Luen Wo as the retailer
and a cartouche in Chinese the name of the artisan silversmith responsible for creating the piece
A name which appears frequently on Luen Wo chrysanthemum decorated pieces.

The solid silver bowl weighs 403g is 170mm (8") in diameter and 150mm (6") deep
With applied reeded rim and with a fluted base typical of the period
The technique used here is a cast and application method.
The Chrysanthemum blooms are cast separately, commonly using a lost wax method
and then applied to the surface of a pre prepared vessel, in this case a bowl.
The end result is a decorative finish resembling embossing
but a great deal thicker and heavier and leaving a smooth interior to the vessel.
It is the most time consuming and expensive of all the silver decorative techniques
And hence these pieces command the highest prices.

Consisting of open blooms, buds, leaves and branches, the flowers are crisp and sharp
 with exquisite detailing in the central stamens and delicately carved veining of the leaves and stems.
No two blossoms are alike, their petals dancing around the bowl as if blown by the wind
Adorning the circumference in deep relief, breaking eventually to allow for an inscription space
 engraved with the letters Q C H C   - Nov 11th 1951 -  (originally a christening gift)
Not engraved so deeply that it could not be easily erased to make room for another
or else kept as a reminder of the life of the piece.

The decoration shows no damage, loss, lifting of the appliqué or evidence of repair.
The piece has not been aggressively polished and decoration remains crisp with no loss of fine detail.
 A work of real craftsmanship and a spectacularly fine example of the highest quality.
 
The bowl is supplied complete with its original hand carved Rosewood stand
With new wood now unobtainable and existing pieces difficult to find
this antique Rosewood stand is a rare and valuable work of art in its own right
The stand shows some minor damage with a small section missing and evidence of a previous repair.
 However, it remains secure and functional, supporting the bowl as intended
 and the little missing area is unnoticeable when positioned away from view.  

A skilled craftsperson could readily make good the damage if desired

Rarely offered outside the exclusive London auction houses, this is a really gorgeous, high quality piece in superb condition with authenticity and provenance guaranteed.
                                                                 

Offers Welcome

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Please see my other listings for more vintage items and loads more...
A large collection of fascinating, rare, unusual and sometimes preposterous objects!  
acquired over a lifetime, now it must all go.