Collector: Ilse Martin Fang / Culture or time period: Manchu people / Function: 3.1 Status Objects and Insignia of Office - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Collector Ilse Martin Fang Culture or time period Manchu people Function 3.1 Status Objects and Insignia of Office

Hearst Museum object titled Audience chain, accession number 9-21345, described as “Audience Chain” Four sets of 27 black beads separated by amethyst balls and strung on yellow silk cord constitute the front. Back: navy blue, stiff cord, first cased in embroidered red and white ribbon, then looped through a coin-shaped ring of brass, where they meet the lower double cord that runs through another amethyst ball as a red silk cord. Pendant starting from a third hole in this amethyst ball: three-tiered amethyst slide of decreasing width on red braided cord which runs into a black cotton braided tape (11 cm long), its other end looped through an eye in a filt-bronze plaque holding an oval turquoise. As usual, the tape-ends are secured by winding tri-colored threads around them: white - light blue - navy blue - white. Under the turquoise another black tape (16 cm long). Then a silver(?) wire ring secured by a red cord, a small crystal bead and a tear-drop shaped piece of pink quartz capped by a brass(?) bell-shaped cover. Two shoulder pendants are left on this chain. Strung on blue cords and emanating from coin-shaped rings are ten or nine, respectively, corals, the final pendants a smaller version of the pink crystal chain pendant (here grenadine and emerald, respectively). Overall length of chain: 117 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Collar, accession number 9-21300, described as Collar from official’s uniform; Cobalt blue satin cover on outside; navy blue coarse cotton cloth on underside. Folded part stiffened. Closure with hook and bar (a loop sewn on vertically). L. 46 cm; w. at folded part: 5 cm; w. at closure: 4 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Collar, accession number 9-21301, described as Collar, for official’s uniform; Manchu style; black silk gauze with tapestry-stitch embroidery over gold foil, eight strands of gold thread separate border of bats and double Ju-i scepters from main pattern. From back, two five-clawed dragons vie for flamed pearl of perfection, above waves and rocks; clouds, Ju-i scepters, Buddhist swastikas, bats, dragons in gold thread. Front closure with brass button. Piping around neckline of same blue and gold brocade with chrysanthemum pattern as 3.5 cm border of the collar. With crimson, peony-patterned, silk lining.

Hearst Museum object titled Hat, accession number 9-21242, described as Hat. Round Manchu hat. Purple satin crown, red cotton lining. Black felt side, 7.5 cm high. Hat 22 cm in diameter. Brass button from which 13 cm long blue silk cord-ends radiate, blue denoting a certain Manchu Banner.

Hearst Museum object titled Hat, accession number 9-21244, described as Hat. Manchu princess’ hat. Red satin crown in four tiers. Eight folds meet at center. Crowned by red endless-knot button of strands of red silk thread. Blue satin eight-pointed star applique ends in clouds hanging over edge of crown. Cloud-ended star decorated with neatly stitched-on satin flowers in white, pink and green shades. Upturned brim otter skin. One seam in front, two in back. Stitched red satin brim lining; crown lined with red cotton folded whirligig-wise in center. From brim, one-third up in rear, emanate two 85 cm long red satin ribbons from 3 cm long slit, widening to 7 cm after 2 cm and increasing to 13 cm width 3.5 cm before each ends in a point. For the first 15 cm, they are sewn together, a three-bud-like piece of applique even covering the seam where the twin pattern meets. 13 cm and another 23 cm further down, the two ribbons are artfully tacked together. Peony and narcissus pattern, with rocks at the ends. Overall height of hat: 12 cm; crown: 10 cm; brim: 6 cm. Greatest diameter 21 cm; crown top: 13.5 cm; head opening 15 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Ho-pao (perfume) pouches, accession number 9-21257a,b, described as a and b: Pair of navy-blue “ho-pao” (perfume) pouches. Heavy satin, coarsely embroidered with satin and chain stitch. Within a border of rainbow stripes a blue and white chain around water, rocks and three bats. Image over center bat unidentified. Legend: “May all things go as you wish”. Back and front identical. Top gathered into fifteen pleats permanently stitched together. An olive green hanging strap loops 22 cm high with a fake turquoise bead 5 cm above the upper edge on both straps. It is flanked by windings in the traditional color scheme of white, navy blue, and black. The same arrangement on the double drawstrings emerging from the sides of the pleats. The turquoise bead and its windings combine both straps each time, but another winding occurs separately on both ends farther down the 18.5 cm long straps. They are simply cut off at the end. Width of bag: 12 cm; height: 11.3 cm. Fide: Ilse M. Fang, 8/28/2001: Prescribed rainbow colors around edge. re: bat image: the word for “bat” was the same, “fu”, as for good luck; so the image stood for good luck. These were Manchu pouches, but they didn’t come in with the Manchus - it’s an 800 year old design, dating back to the Sung Dynasty.

Hearst Museum object titled Plaque, accession number 9-21338, described as Oval Ivory plaque to remind official of the audience of the first of the month. Inked date,”First of the month” in one narrow and one wider, originally red frames. 3.333 x 5.3 cm; 4 mm thick.