Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art - 17th May 2022
Lot 467
THREE CHINESE IMPERIAL KINGFISHER FEATHER HAIR ORNAMENTS
Estimate £2,000 - £3,000 | Hammer £13000
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Description
THREE CHINESE IMPERIAL KINGFISHER FEATHER HAIR ORNAMENTS
QING DYNASTY
One formed as an oval plaque, decorated with blossoming flowers with semi-precious stones, seed pearl petals, and dense foliage, the other two circular plaques with similar designs, each stabilised with metal wires, 16.5cm max. (3)
Provenance: a private collection, London.
Cf. C Gao, Chinese Dress & Adornment Through The Ages, The Art of Classic Fashion, p.163, no.324 for a set of similar kingfisher hair ornaments.
From the Qing dynasty Tongzhi period onwards, noble Manchurian ladies wore silk fabrics and elaborate hair ornaments to form a Liangbatou, which is a fake double-ended chignon fixed at the top of the head. This type of opulent hair ornaments was specifically designed for attaching to the artificial hair piece, which symbolise a woman's social status and her Manchu identity.