This is a very special antique Chinese silver repoussé lock pendant, dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912).

I have seen a few of these but never in their original and complete condition. The peach-colored silk holding the stones is still in solid shape. The sterling chain is in very good condition. I can't really guess at the age but I suspect late 19th century. 1644 - 1912 is a huge period of time.

These pendants, shaped like traditional Chinese security locks, were worn as necklaces, particularly by children, to "lock" their spirit to the earth and protect them from harm and evil spirits.

Key features:

Made of sterling silver with repoussé detailing. I did some light hand cleaning on the silver because the oxidation was very heavy.

NOTE: all the metal on this necklace tested as 925 / sterling silver. It could be fine silver but I have no test for that. I was not able to test the metal beads between the stones because they're so small, but I suspect they're sterling, too.

The sterling chain is handmade as well as the large silver and blue enamel beads. Carnelian and turquoise beads add colorful charm to the chain.

The large sterling pendant is hollow and artfully chased. The front has custom made ivy-style connectors. So very pretty.

There's no traditional clasp. What they've done is used small, s-shaped clasps (see photo) that you can open and close if you need to. However, the wearable part of the chain is 24 inches long, so you probably won't need to open and close those s-clasps. If you do, please be careful because opening and closing them too often will cause metal fatigue which will break them.

Shaped like a lock but without actual locking functionality.

Decorated with Chinese characters and symbols for good luck and longevity. Intended to protect the wearer, especially children, from misfortune.

Total weight is 41.5 grams, mostly silver. The craftsmanship is just wonderful and I love this necklace but I think it belongs with a real collector or even in a museum.

If you have any questions, please contact me. Thank you for your time.