Object class: Supernatural entities (motifs) / Collection place: Northern China / Culture or time period: Chinese - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Object class Supernatural entities (motifs) Collection place Northern China Culture or time period Chinese

Hearst Museum object titled Case, accession number 9-21261, described as Man’s case (for the ivory plaque reminding him of the early morning audience?). Black, navy blue, gold and silver tapestry stitches with six red accents. Identical patterns fore and aft. Cloud-shaped lid shows a bat; body: four symbols for “long life” in gold, interspersed with five for “joy” in silver. Crowned by the flamed pearl of perfection in silver and red, and framed by the running thunder motif forming the two dragons spitting it out, or vying for it, respectively. Sides: a black band with silver Xs and gold squares. A lip of cobalt blue broadcloth surmounts the case. The lining of unbleached cotton material covers both case and lip as well as the lid. The carrying double cord is 16 cm long and neatly knotted once. Two other cords emerge below and are first wound with a fabric embroidered in tapestry stitch in the unusual color scheme of white, pink, and red. These cords are 11 cm long. All cords are sapphire blue. Height of closed case: 11 cm; front width: 5 cm; cloud top: 6.7 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Case cover, accession number 9-21263, described as Ivory-colored, rectangular (needle?) case cover. Ivory satin, bordered at top and bottom with narrow tape with looped scallops and a running red-dot-in-black-bar pattern; and a 1 cm-wide black satin border. Seam down center of back. Top opening closed in the center with stitches of green to resemble webbing. Same at bottom, back only. Interfacing and pink, glazed coarse cotton lining. The bottom opening suggests that this case slid over a receptacle, perhaps for sewing needles. It would have hung by 2 cords passing upward on either side of the closure. (Fide: Ilse M. Fang, 8/28/2001: for needle case or anything with same dimensions, such as visiting cards or ivory plaques reminding person when to go to audience). A phoenix over a peony and other flowers is embroidered on the front in satin and stem stitch and Peking knots. Fide: Ilse M. Fang, 8/28/2001: Good satin with good embroidery. Height: 11 cm; width 6 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 Comb, accession number 9-21317, described as comb. Oval two-sided bamboo comb with bone ends and red rib. The two halves of the wooden ribs lacquered red and decorated in silver: rocks, a phoenix and a cloud with the sun. On reverse the legend: “Ch’ang-chou. Lacquer goods from the old Heng-shun Company. No change in price, after oral agreement.” 5 x 11 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Fabric, accession number 9-21361, described as Piece of fabric for a child’s garment on Mid Summer (dragon-boat) festival. Gold (for sulphur) ground with tiger, his prey, and the poisonous animals: frog, lizard, snake, spider, centipede. 34 x 37.2 cm. Mounted with scotch tape on cardboard.