An elegant gold dragon shaped hair pin, Qing dynasty, Qianlong (1736-95).
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The finial is shaped as a dragon, of long tapered form, the head of the hairpin set with a fine filigree feathered body of dragon, all attached to a slender, curved, hollow openwork pin. The dragon’s tongue and eyes move. Length 13 cm. Weight 12 gram.
A green box accompanies the piece. Measure 18.5x8.5.3.5 cm.
Wear.
Provenance
From the Collection of Dr Emil Hultmark (1872-1943), Stockholm, thence by descent within the family until now.
Dr Emil Hultmark was an art historian, collector, donor and patron of the arts. He combined important work as an art historian not only with the creation of one of the largest and most remarkable private art collections in Sweden, but also with the construction of an archive of Swedish artists and art craftsmen unparalleled in its extent, together with a library containing almost all that has been written about Swedish art.
Emil Hultmark was one of the co-founders of the ‘Kinaklubben’ (China Club) in Stockholm in the 1920's with Carl Kempe (1884-1967) and the Crown Prince Gustav Adolf. He is a well known collector and his beautiful home and summer house is well documented in the magazine 'Svenska Hem i ord och bild' in the 1930's, which provide us with a fascinating window into this golden age of European collecting.
Exhibitions
Exhibited at Sveriges Allmänna Konstförening, Emil Hultmarks Samling, Stockholm 1942. Lot no 608.
Compare with hairpins sold at Sothebys, from the Carl Kempe Collection, then with phoenix in stead of dragon. Auction, Masterpieces Of Chinese Precious Metalwork - Ming And Qing Imperial Gold, 10 April 2008 • Hong Kong. Lot no 2314. These pins were sold to Carl Kempe by Emil Hultmark. They are exhibited in the 1942 exhibition in Stockholm, then in Emil Hulmtarks collection.
Literature
Compare similar openwork hair ornaments, illustrated in Celestial Creations, Art of the Chinese Goldsmith, The Cheng Xun Tang Collection, Chinese Universtiy of Hong Kong, 2007. Pl H29.
Also, Gems of Beijing Cultural Relics, Gold and Silverwres, Beijing 2004, pl 272.
More information
Openwork hair ornaments such as the present were known as tongzan and were popular from the Ming dynasty onwards. The delicate openwork pin was designed to give a sense of lightness and airiness for the wearer.