A fine pair of Chinese Imperial gilt metal and kingfisher feather earrings late Qing dynasty, formed as two reticulated plaques, one decorated with a phoenix, the other with a stylized bat, from which five chains are suspended, together with a kingfisher feather and filigree earpick-hairpin, in the shape of a dragon's head, the pin with a four character mark which reads xie cheng yi ji, 22.7cm. (3)

Provenance: from the collection of Luís Esteves Fernandes (1897-1988).

Cf. Jewelry of the Empress and Imperial Concubines in the Collection of The Palace Museum, Classics of The Forbidden City, p.151, no.130, for a closely related pair of earrings. See also Royal Style, Qing Dynasty and Western Jewelry, p.173 for a related earpick-hairpin.