Lot 334 , A Chinese foreign ambassadors silk embroidery, late Ming/early Qing Dynasty (17th century),

A Chinese 'foreign ambassadors' silk embroidery, late Ming/early Qing Dynasty (17th century), composed of four vertical panels woven with eight figures of foreign ambassadors bearing gifts of tribute to the Emperor and riding beasts including an elephant, an ox, a lion, qilin, a leopard, a goat and a horse amid flowers, branches and rockwork, on a peach ground, with 19th century borders of flowers and leaf scrolls in colours on a peach ground, with some gilt metal wrapped reds in places, 176cm square, professionaly mounted an attached to a wooden stretcher



Footnote




Estimate £5,000-8,000

The vendor had the date of this embroidery verified by the British Museum 20 years ago. The professional mounting and display of the embroidery was undertaken by Roger Keverne Ltd.

As expected with a silk embroidery of this age there are some slight condition issues as follows:
The embroidered picture is composed of four panels stitched together which have probably been cut from a much larger embroidered picture, there is some fading and staining to the peach coloured ground and some wear to the threads exposing loose threads and duller areas, please see additional photographs. The border has been later applied although we say this is 19th century it could be earlier, again there are loose threads and wear and staining to this, please see photographs.
The left panel - the tail of the elephant is missing threads and the same with the qilin below has some threads missing to the tail and head, the second vertical panel with figure on a buffalo is missing threads to the face of the rider, his hands and to the buffalo's left ear, the figure below riding a leopard there are missing threads to the leopards tail, third panel from left - the figure riding a Buddhist lion has missing threads to his head, the figure below riding a goat or ram is missing threads to the objects he is holding in his left hand and around the saddle area and feet, feet and tail of the goat and the very far right hand panel the figure riding on a qilin is missing many threads to the objects held in his hands and to the belly / right leg of the qilin, the threads to the face of the rider have been restored and the figure below this riding on horseback is missing some threads to his hair and to the horse below its muzzle and some unpicked threads around the saddle area and front right hoof, please see extra photographs for a better idea of condition and losses, the whole panel is backed onto a velvet like fabric and attached to a wooden stretcher which has been stapled to the wooded stretcher. This means it may be possible to detach the panel from the stretcher to be rolled for posting overseas.


Descriptions provided in both printed and on-line catalogue formats do not include condition reports. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Interested bidders are strongly encouraged to request a condition report on any lots upon which they intend to bid, prior to placing a bid. All transactions are governed by Gorringes Conditions of Sale.

Sold for £5,000