Dear Friends,
Another month, another sale. This one is in 10 days time on the 25th May starting at 11am with the viewing the day before from 1pm to 7pm and on sale day from 9.30am to the start of the sale at 11am.
You can bid on-line by logging onto www.UKAuctioneers.com. All lots are available with illustrations on our website from this Sunday evening at www.bainbridgesauctions.com.
The star lots are a perfect ‘Wally bird’ potted by Martin Bros of Southall. It’s a real cheeky number. Talking of cheeks, check out our pen, ink, pencil and wash drawing signed by Donald Friend 1953. It’s called Rehearsal. For what I can’t imagine! It measures 54 x 43 cms and is in very good condition.
London and the UK are currently full of guests from China, here for the special series of sales. We have one lot particularly that should interest them. It’s three hand-painted pages of costume design, on silk, looted from the Summer Palace, each 40 cms square approximately, already part-catalogued as follows:
These three rare and important pages are from the ‘Huangchao liqi tushi’: The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Present [Qing] Dynasty.
This is a monumental work that was first executed circa 1750-60 in hand-painted manuscript, during the reign of the Qianlong emperor.
It was then issued in a printed version published in 1766, in several further hand-painted manuscript copies, and in a later revised and expanded version.
It seems that these three pages originate from an 18th century copy looted from the Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) in 1860, along with a large number of other pages at present in the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Museum of Scotland, and the National Museum of Ireland.
Manchu dress regulation (The Qing dynasty)
Picture 1
Beile wife’s pointed kerchief should be strictly in accordance with the regulations.
This (Qing) dynasty sets the rule for beile wife’s pointed kerchief.
The consort of a prince uses azurite-blue colour.
Same rule to the wives of fuguo gong and xiangjun.
Note:
- (beile): means “lord”, “prince”, or “chief” in Manchu, and translated as “Prince of the Third rank”, “Venerable Prince”, or “Noble Lord”. It was usually granted to the son of a qinwang (Prince of the first Rank) or junwang (Prince of the second Rank). As beile is the best known Manchu, non-Chinese title, it is commonly used to refer to all Manchu princes.
- (cai shui): a long pointed kerchief, made of yellow, red or blue silk and embroidered with auspicious emblems, attached to the 2nd button on the court vest.
- (fuguo gong): translated as “Duke Who Assists the State”.
- (huang zi): means “prince”.
- (fujin): is a consort of a prince.
- : (xiangjun): translated as “Lady of a Village”. It was usually granted to the daughters of Dukes with eight privileges (the highest six ranks enjoyed the “Eight Privileges”).
Picture 2
Picture of beile wife’s pointed kerchief
Picture 3
Beile wife’s chao gua should be strictly in accordance with the regulations.
This (Qing) dynasty sets the rule that the beile wife’s chao gua colour as azurite-blue.
The consort of a prince has embroidered four-clawed python, azurite-blue silk ribbon hanging down behind the collar.
Same rule to the wives of fuguo gong and xiangjun.
Note:
- (chao gua): A sleeveless surcoat or vest.
Picture 4
Beile’s wife’s jifu gua should be strictly in accordance with the regulations.
This (Qing) dynasty sets the rule that the beile wife’s jifu gua colour as azurite-blue.
A front facing four-clawed python roundel embroidered on the front and back of jifu gua.
Same rule to the junjun.
Note:
- (jifu gua): festival robe, was worn during festivals, banquets, and other events held in the periods preceding significant sacrificial ceremonies.
- (junjun): translated a “Lady of a Commandery”. It was usually granted to a daughter born to a secondary consort of a qinwang (Prince of the first Rank) or to the daughter of beile.
Next to the jifu gua picture
Picture of beile wife’s jifu gua
We have found no historical auction results for these important pages, so have placed a cautious estimate of £2,000-£3,000. They are illustrated on our ‘Latest News’ page at www.bainbridgesauctions.com.
Otherwise we have some rare CAMERAS to offer you. One is by Jaeger le Coultre called a Compass Camera and another is a ‘Ticka’ watch camers with original instructions. At the other end of the time scale we have a Sony 65 digital camera, model SLT-A65V with lenses. An Otis King’s cylindrical slide rule is also interesting.
PICTURES and prints by artists including William Russell Flint, Georges Redon, Picasso, Matisse, Peter Jamieson, M. Conti, Stephen Gayford, Pamela Barton, Peter Iden, Vernon Henri, Mary Pelham, Jo Webster, Alejandro Reino, Michael Kitchen-Hurle, Maurice Man, A.J. Robertson, Reuben Colley, Johann Ota, Claude Muncaster, J. Earnshaw Brown, Paul Nash, J. Lewis, Isabel Castle, Donald Friend, William Henry Milnes, Rudolf H. Sauter, Adrian Neal, and Edward l’Esson.
As ever there’s JEWELLERY and ART OBJECTS that include an early 20th century ivory bridge of elephants on a wonderful stand and other ivory carvings and netsuke. We have a framed panel of beadwork said by the vendor to be from the studio of Norman Hartnell. There are good boxed Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox model cars and Star Wars TOYS too.
SILVER AND PLATE is a smaller section that usual but worth a visit and the SHELVES are full to bursting. This sale includes lots of wonderful brown FURNITURE for an improving market. Besides a breakfront bookcase, linen press, kneehole desk and chests of drawers we have a Georgian settee and a Regency settee.
Lot 800 is a Ford coupe in good nick and with MOT. It’s from a deceased estate and is the lot before the general furniture and white goods.
See you next week I hope……
