A CHINESE SILK DRAGON COLLAR, PI LING

LATE QING DYNASTY

Embroidered in gold with five five-clawed dragons with flaming pearls of wisdom and clouds, all above a band of waves and bordered by key fret, mounted in a glazed frame, the collar 72cm across.

Provenance: from the collection of Lady Stewart, London. Given as a gift c.1960-61 in Beijing by Rong Ling who, along with her sister Der Ling was a lady in waiting to the Dowager Empress Cixi. Lady Stewart's husband, Sir Michael was the Chargé d'affaires to Peking 1959-1962.

Cf. V Garrett, A Collector's Guide to Chinese Dress Accessories, p.91, pl.1 where another pi ling is illustrated.