A Chinese table bell, Qing dynasty.
In the form of a catfish suspending the bell from his tail fin, copper alloy. 30 cm high.
One loose fin, worn.
Alkuperä - Provenienssi
From the Collection of Ivan Konsberg, born on September 11th, 1870 in Stockholm. In 1887 he ran away after a falling out with his father and enlisted on a ship bound to Shanghai. He ended up remaining in Shanghai, working for the British Police force until 1903. Subsequently he became a property tax specialist and collector for the Tax Office at Shanghai Municipal Council. He returned for a short visit to Sweden in 1902 whereupon he met his future wife Lillie, who soon joined him out in Shanghai. The couple had three children, James, Beatrice (died at the age of 5 in Shanghai 1912) and Olle. Lillie Konsberg returned to Sweden with the two boys in 1914, since the older son James suffered badly from asthma. Ivan finally left Shanghai and joined his family in Sweden in 1916. The collection was formed between 1890-1916, thence by descent.