A RARE CHINESE RED SILK FLOSS OFFICIAL'S SUMMER HAT AND PAINTED TIN HAT BOX

18TH CENTURY

The exterior densely covered with red silk floss, the conical frame rising to an ovoid silver hat finial mounted on a gilt-silver openwork mount decorated with six phoenix in flight amidst swirling clouds, the edge beneath the brim with silver-wrapped ribbon, with a deep pink silk lining to the interior, the hat box with a hinged cover and clasp to one side, painted in gilt with beribboned precious objects and foliate sprays against a black ground, with a red interior, all surmounted by a reticulated gilt- metal flowerhead centred by a lobed finial, 31cm. (2)

This type of hat is a less formal summer hat which would have been worn at semi-formal events with a jifu by a ninth-rank official, indicated by the silver hat finial.

Provenance: formerly the collection of Linda Wrigglesworth, acquired in London in 1980; and then a private collection, London, purchased from Christie's New York, 19th March 2008, The Imperial Wardrobe: Fine Chinese Costume and Textiles from the Linda Wrigglesworth Collection, lot 127.

Illustrated: G Dickinson and L Wrigglesworth, Imperial Wardrobe, p.108, pl.90.