A Chinese export silver wine ewer, Qing dynasty, 19th Century.
Interior gilded. The vessel is of European form with a hinged cover and arched handle in the shape of a dragon, the slender ovoid body is decorated in repoussé with a lively battle scene below figures at leisure before pavilions. The inscription above one of the pavillions may be translated as ‘Bronze bird terrace (or tower)’ which relates to the famous chinese litterary work 'The Romance of the Western Chamber', and presumably identifies the scene on the ewer. Height 34.5 cm. A silk lined fitted box accompanies the piece. Measurement of box 41x25.5x17 cm. Weight silver 819 gram. Monogram VJJ.
The form and style of the ewer can be said to be Sassanian [6th-7th century CE]; the same style of ewer was introduced by Sassanians into Northern China during the Tang dynasty. In turn, Sassanian silverwares of the period had Hellenic influences.
Engraved monogram in the shield, inscriptions at the bottom. Insignificant rupture in the lid.
Literature
Compare a very similar sold at Bonhams Skinner. Auction: European Furniture & Decorative Arts - 2519B. Boston. October 02, 2010.
Compare a ewer sold at Chrisites, live auction 7339. Chinese Ceramics, Works of Art and Textiles, 9 Nov 2012
Compare a similar sold at Freemans, lot no 204. 22nd May, 2014 10:00 EST. Silver & Objets de Vertu.
This particular ewer is identical to ewers produced in the latter quarter of the 19th century by DA JI 大吉 [jyutping TAI KUT]. Similar [not identical] ewers were made by the Canton workshop XI JI 喜記 as well as XING JI 興記 mid-19th century for the merchant house SUN SHING 辛盛 [pinyin XIN SHENG]. The Canton workshop YE BO 葉伯 [jyutping JIP BAAK] was also making similar ewers for WANG HING in the latter quarter of the 19th century
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We thank Dr Adrien von Ferscht for his assistance with identifying silver marks and sharing research findings from his ongoing research into Qing dynasty and Republic of China era decorative silver.