A fine and rare Chinese Manchu lady's informal jacket

拍品描述

A fine and rare Chinese Manchu lady's informal jacket, Magua, Qing dynasty, circa 1870-1880, the bright blue satin silk embroidered with butterflies, symbolising abundance, happy relationships, joy, love, freedom, transformation, youth and beauty and each butterfly is embroidered in high quality multi coloured silk threads, the original borders and cuffs are equally embroidered with further butterflies on deep blue and cream silk, edged with a patterned ribbon in pink and green, front opening, original loop and button closure, with four flat buttons stamped 'treble gilt' and embossed, lined with original bright pink silk, cuff to cuff folded, 114cm and with sleeves extended 180cm x 73cm hem to collarThis style of jacket was highly fashionable in the Qing court, first appearing during the mid 19th century. Manchu courtiers wore them over long Manchu gowns for warmth and as elegant statements. The court of the Last Empress Cixi adopted these jackets, or Magua, and similar waistcoats, as a clear definition of a lady at the Imperial Court. Cixi, her ladies-in-waiting, noble women and royalty were photographed in such garments. As this robe is so beautifully made and of such high quality it is suggested it might have been worn by a royal lady of very high standing in the Imperial court. Similar examples are found in The Imperial Forbidden City collection, Dragon Emperor Treasures from the Forbidden City, Dr Mae Anna Pang, National Gallery Melbourne 1989. page 170 and compare with a similar robe, The Victoria and Albert museum. collection ID 2021NC0918, Museum number T.210 1948.Provenance:Acquired by the current owners grandfather, George Harrison Brown, a journalist who visited China in the 1930s. Then gifted to his wife Lydia Bilbrook, the actress (1888-1990) and then inherited by Felicity Whittaker of Bromham Hall Bedfordshire, then by family descent.We are grateful to Linda Wrigglesworth for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.清 藍地彩繡蝴蝶紋滿族女馬褂拍品來源：由現任藏家祖父 George Harrison Brown（記者，曾於20世紀30年代訪華）購得，後贈予其妻、女演員 Lydia Billbrook（1888-1990），其後由 Bromham Hall（英國貝德福德郡）Felicity Whittaker 承繼，並由家族流傳至今*本拍品圖錄編撰承蒙 Linda Wrigglesworth 提供協助，特此致謝 品相： The condition is good with bright colours but with some light wear along the edges of the sleeve cuffs and collar and minor stains

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