ANTIQUE 19thC CHINESE EXPORT SOLID SILVER HAND MIRROR, WANG HING c.1880
19th Century Chinese Export silver hand mirror, of round form, very large size and heavy gauge, the handle formed as entwined dragon biting into the mirror, the double-sided mirror surrounded by an outstanding openwork frame, cast, pierced and engraved with bamboo leaves. The reverse silver plaque engraved with birds perching on bamboo.
Hallmarked with Chinese character marks, 90 silver (900+), Mark "WH" for Wang Hing.
Reference Number: A5899
19th Century Chinese Export silver hand mirror, of round form, very large size and heavy gauge, the handle formed as entwined dragon biting into the mirror, the double-sided mirror surrounded by an outstanding openwork frame, cast, pierced and engraved with bamboo leaves. The reverse silver plaque engraved with birds perching on bamboo.
Hallmarked with Chinese character marks, 90 silver (900+), Mark "WH" for Wang Hing.
Reference Number: A5899
19th Century Chinese Export silver hand mirror, of round form, very large size and heavy gauge, the handle formed as entwined dragon biting into the mirror, the double-sided mirror surrounded by an outstanding openwork frame, cast, pierced and engraved with bamboo leaves. The reverse silver plaque engraved with birds perching on bamboo.
Hallmarked with Chinese character marks, 90 silver (900+), Mark "WH" for Wang Hing.
Reference Number: A5899
DESCRIPTION
Antique 19th Century rare Chinese Export solid silver hand mirror, of round form, very large size and heavy gauge, the handle formed as entwined dragon biting into the mirror, the double-sided mirror surrounded by an outstanding openwork frame, cast, pierced and engraved with bamboo leaves. The reverse silver plaque engraved with birds perching on bamboo.
Hallmarked with Chinese character marks, 90 silver (900+ standard), Mark "WH" for Wang Hing, Considered as one of the greatest and finest Chinese Export retailer, Wang Hing started trading in Canton soon after 1842 when, with the end of the First Opium War and the treaty of Nanking, China opened its ports to foreign merchants and Hong Kong became a British colony.
Wang Hing was the trading name chosen by the Lo family who established the business and passed it down for generations until 1941. Although we don’t have any information about the founder of the company, we know that the Lo family was a wealthy merchant family living in one of the richest and buzzing areas of Canton, the district of Xiguan.
Thanks to the fine quality of the pieces and to the entrepreneurial abilities of the family members, the reputation of the firm grew and in 1920’s Lo Hung Tong, grandson of the founder, opened a shop at 10 Queen’s Road, Hong Kong and in Shanghai. Wang Hingartworks became very popular among Western clients, who often commissioned trophies and presentation pieces decorated with the traditional Chinese motifs such as dragons, bamboo leaves and prunus blossoms. In 1941 with the Japanese invasion, the Lo family was forced to flee to mainland China and the business ceased trading.
CONDITION
In Great Condition - General wear and stains to the mirror (as always the case for 19th Century mirrors), silver in great condition.
SIZE
Height: 31cm
Width: 17.5cm
Weight: 585g