Mirror frame

Museum number:
9-21275
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21090021275
Alternate number:
VI-29 (original number)
Accession number:
Acc.4697
Description:
Hanging Mirror Frame. Two doors covered with ivory satin embroidered in Peking knot stitch and overlaid gold thread. Pattern reversed on the two doors: a gentle person’s eight treasures: sounding stone, incense burner over “Ju-i” scepter (May things go as you wish), as vase with flowers, a fruit tray, a pot with jade (?) flowers, brusholder, plaques hung from the doors. Inside: Cobalt blue, patterned silk with satin stitch embroidered peony in vase on a stand. Peking knot stitch for anthers. Back of case: cardboard. Mirror to be inserted from top slot. Frame of cobalt blue satin to which doors are hinged in three places with “doorposts”, ”lintel” and “thresholds” to hold mirror inside. Frame embroidered like doors. Pattern: Peonies and butterflies. Black satin border. Sides and back covered with cobalt blue patterned silk. A sounding-stone knot under a butterfly knot peaking in a 4.5 cm high loop for hanging, surmount the frame. Knots of hunter green braid. Brown, terracotta and green windings under the knots which emerge from the frame in three places. Below frame, a flounce of hunter green netting accented with five blackened metal disks and ending in ten tassels. Color scheme from left: gold, vermillion, hunter green, beige, cobalt blue - all faded - twice. Windings of 14 cm tassels in vermillion over faded hunter green wire threads. Height of frame: 26.5 cm; width: 22 cm.
Donor:
Ilse Martin Fang
Collection place:
Peking, Beijing province, China
Verbatim coll. place:
China. Manchu (Qing) dynasty. 1644-1911. Given to Ilse Fang in Peking by Erich Wolters, antique dealer, in 1945.
Culture or time period:
Manchu people and Qing dynasty (1644–1912 AD)
Collector:
Ilse Martin Fang
Collection date:
1945
Materials:
Gold (metal), Metal, Metal (embroidery. cardboard, silk, satin, gold thread, metal.), Satin, and Silk
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Embroidery (visual works) and Mirrors
Function:
1.8 Toilet Articles
Production date:
Manchu (Qing) Dynasty
Accession date:
December 15, 1998
Context of use:
Hanging frame for mirror.
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Dimensions:
Frame— height 26.5 centimeters, Frame— width 22 centimeters, and Tassels— length 14 centimeters
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Mirror frame, accession number 9-21275, described as Hanging Mirror Frame. Two doors covered with ivory satin embroidered in Peking knot stitch and overlaid gold thread. Pattern reversed on the two doors: a gentle person’s eight treasures: sounding stone, incense burner over “Ju-i” scepter (May things go as you wish), as vase with flowers, a fruit tray, a pot with jade (?) flowers, brusholder, plaques hung from the doors. Inside: Cobalt blue, patterned silk with satin stitch embroidered peony in vase on a stand. Peking knot stitch for anthers. Back of case: cardboard. Mirror to be inserted from top slot. Frame of cobalt blue satin to which doors are hinged in three places with “doorposts”, ”lintel” and “thresholds” to hold mirror inside. Frame embroidered like doors. Pattern: Peonies and butterflies. Black satin border. Sides and back covered with cobalt blue patterned silk. A sounding-stone knot under a butterfly knot peaking in a 4.5 cm high loop for hanging, surmount the frame. Knots of hunter green braid. Brown, terracotta and green windings under the knots which emerge from the frame in three places. Below frame, a flounce of hunter green netting accented with five blackened metal disks and ending in ten tassels. Color scheme from left: gold, vermillion, hunter green, beige, cobalt blue - all faded - twice. Windings of 14 cm tassels in vermillion over faded hunter green wire threads. Height of frame: 26.5 cm; width: 22 cm.

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