Needle case

Museum number:
9-21424a-c
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm210921424a@2dc
Alternate number:
VII-4 (original number)
Accession number:
Acc.4697
Description:
Ivory needle case with silver(?) lid. Decoration in relief: A scholar and his acolyte arrive by boat at the foot of a mountain to climb it. Halfway up to the temple at the summit, the scholar rests and fans himself. In their ascent, the pilgrims pass through forests of bamboo, evergreens and deciduous trees. The case hangs by the crimson cord-loop from the button of the Manchu tunic. After a knot and an amber bead it enters the case through the silver lid. After it exits the case, its two ends run through a coral bead and are knotted once more, before they hang loose. Overall length of cord: 29 cm; of ivory case: 8.7 cm, case 1.5 cm diameter. Sewing needles to be stuck into cotton inside tube. a) box bottom, b) box top, c) needle case.
Donor:
Ilse Martin Fang
Collection place:
Beijing, Beijing municipality, Northern China
Verbatim coll. place:
Manchu (Qing) Dynasty. 1644-1911. Purchased in Peking from Erich Wolters, antique dealer.
Culture or time period:
Manchu people and Qing dynasty (1644–1912 AD)
Collector:
Ilse Martin Fang
Collection date:
unknown
Materials:
Amber (fossil resin), Coral (material), Ivory (material), Metal, and Silver (metal)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Needle cases
Function:
1.6 Manufacturing, Constructing, Craft, and Professional Pursuits
Production date:
Manchu (Qing) Dynasty
Accession date:
December 15, 1998
Context of use:
Sewing needle case.
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Dimensions:
Ivory case— diameter 1.5 centimeters, Cord— length 29 centimeters, and Ivory case— length 8.7 centimeters
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 2 titled Needle case, accession number 9-21424a-c, described as Ivory needle case with silver(?) lid. Decoration in relief: A scholar and his acolyte arrive by boat at the foot of a mountain to climb it. Halfway up to the temple at the summit, the scholar rests and fans himself. In their ascent, the pilgrims pass through forests of bamboo, evergreens and deciduous trees. The case hangs by the crimson cord-loop from the button of the Manchu tunic. After a knot and an amber bead it enters the case through the silver lid. After it exits the case, its two ends run through a coral bead and are knotted once more, before they hang loose. Overall length of cord: 29 cm; of ivory case: 8.7 cm, case 1.5 cm diameter. Sewing needles to be stuck into cotton inside tube. a) box bottom, b) box top, c) needle case.Hearst Museum object 2 of 2 titled Needle case, accession number 9-21424a-c, described as Ivory needle case with silver(?) lid. Decoration in relief: A scholar and his acolyte arrive by boat at the foot of a mountain to climb it. Halfway up to the temple at the summit, the scholar rests and fans himself. In their ascent, the pilgrims pass through forests of bamboo, evergreens and deciduous trees. The case hangs by the crimson cord-loop from the button of the Manchu tunic. After a knot and an amber bead it enters the case through the silver lid. After it exits the case, its two ends run through a coral bead and are knotted once more, before they hang loose. Overall length of cord: 29 cm; of ivory case: 8.7 cm, case 1.5 cm diameter. Sewing needles to be stuck into cotton inside tube. a) box bottom, b) box top, c) needle case.

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