Embroidered roundel with Buddhist symbols, Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty silk embroidery rank badge with silver pheasant. This vividly-colored embroidery depicts a white pheasant on a dark blue bac...

Lovely pair of 19th century civil rank badges (buzi) decorated with an egret, denoting a civil servant of the Sixth Rank. The badges are worked in Peking knot and couched gold thread...

19th century K'o-ssu ("cut silk") rank badge depicting a silver pheasant. The Chinese tradition of wearing rank badges (buzi), also known as Mandarin squares...

Rare Qing Dynasty k'o-ssu ("cut silk") military rank badge with bear, late 18th or early 19th century. The Chinese tradition of wearing rank badges (buzi), also known as Mandarin squares...

A beautiful antique embroidered purse from China, circa 19th century Qing dynasty, artistically displayed in a giltwood shadow box frame with...

A woman's coat made of black silk with wide sleeves from Chinese late Qing Dynasty (mid to late 19th century), mounted and presented on blue linen board and framed as a stunning piec...

An embroidered silk collar from China dated to late Qing Dynasty circa 19th century. Known as Yunjian (Cloud Shoulder or Cloud Collar), this multi-lobed t...

A silk collar from China dated to late Qing Dynasty circa 19th century. Known as Yunjian (Cloud Shoulder or Cloud Collar), this multi-lobed textile piece was a detachable collar worn around the shoulders as part of the traditional Chinese garment accessory. With its origin dated back to the Han Dynasty and being used until the end of Qing Dynasty, the form evolves with time, but much of the ornamentation and fundamental symbolism remains the same. This striking example features a two-tiered design with seven lobes on each circle, all of which are variations of the shape of auspicious "ruyi", which represents the head of Lingzhi mushroom, a symbol of longevity. The inner lobes feature elaborate embroidery floral design with long and short satin stitches. Notably, one panel has a double gourd design, the symbol of fortune. The outer lobes show a simpler but bolder vision with the outlines of the designs lineated with metallic threads buddled in chain stitches. Small jade beads were used to link the piece together and most of them still remain. The piece as a whole has a very pleasant lilac purple color, delicate with the jade beads. In Qing Dynasty, the silk collar with high quality was worn by noble or aristocratic women. The red color and the lotus boy symbol indicate that it was most likely part of the fashion accouterment worn during wedding ceremony. The collar is beautifully float mounted within a double conforming mat in a giltwood frame and wood backing. A stunningly presented period piece with story to tell. Reference: For a collection of Chinese embroidered collars...