An extremely rare Chinese Imperial Beijing enamel and gold filigree ling yue Yongzheng/Qianlong, the crescent-shaped torque set with twelve Beijing enamel plaques, each of which finely painted with two stylized phoenix divided by linked hoops, all in blue, green, white and famille rose enamels on an Imperial yellow ground. With seven replacement cultured and simulated pearls mounted in elaborate gold filigree, tooled as scrolling flames or lingzhi. The inner, outer and reverse faces constructed as a complex cash-diaper, the articulated arms finely embossed with further scrolling phoenix and with terminals formed as seed pods, together with a purple silk-lined wooden box with a textile label inscribed 'Jeweler Asahi Shoten Imperial Hotel Arcade, Tokyo', 19cm.

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

Cf. Z F Ying, Qing Dai Gong Ting Fu Shi, pp.98-100, for a related but lower-ranking five pearl and gold ling yue in the National Museum of China, Beijing, dated to the early Qing dynasty.

Jewelled collars or torques were listed in the Huangchao Liqi Tushi (The Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Qing Dynasty) as an essential part of court dress for members of the Imperial family and noblewomen. Called a ling yue, they are made in gold or silver-gilt and set with semi-precious stones such as pearls, coral, rubies and lapis lazuli, the number of stones determining rank. They are worn and fastened with silk braids which hang down the back, ending in drop pendants which match the stones of the collar. The Huangchao Liqi Tushi, prepared for the Qianlong Emperor c.1759, illustrates a ling yue, set with eleven pearls divided by coral, designed for an Empress or Dowager Empress.

The present example, originally set with seven natural pearls, was probably designed for a first-ranking Imperial consort; it is believed to be unrecorded either in literature or Imperial portraits.

清雍正/乾隆 御製鎏金累丝画珐琅嵌珠领约

來源：路易斯•艾斯塔凡•法納得收藏（1897-1988）            

        根據乾隆時期撰寫的《皇朝禮器圖示》中記載，領約又稱項圈，是清代后妃、福晉、夫人、淑人、恭人及公主，乡君、一品命婦下至七品命婦穿朝服之時，佩戴在朝袍披領之上的一種圓形的裝飾品，其上以不同的珠寶及垂不同顏色的绦以示區別。按《大清會典》的規定，領約以金或銀累丝制成，鑲嵌的百寶決定佩戴者的等級，佩戴時均兩端朝後戴，绦垂於頸後。《皇朝禮器圖示》中收錄了一件皇太后或皇后佩戴的十一顆珍珠的鎏金累丝嵌珊瑚領約。此件拍品為非常罕見的鎏金累丝畫琺瑯嵌七珠，環形活口開合式， 據記載七顆珍珠為皇貴妃穿朝服時佩戴的。