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China - Necklace
China

Necklace probably nineteenth century

Jadeite, amber, rose quartz, silver, coral, silk | 168.0 cm (length) | RCIN 70715

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  • A long chain of equal-sized amber beads, interrupted by four large beads of light green jadeite, with shorter pendants attached. One pendant composed of beads of light greenish glass(?) or stone and mottled blue lapis lazuli, ended by a seed pearl and a pendant of rock crystal mounted in gilt bronze. A second with beads of green stone and amber, and a mounted pendant of pale blue crystal. A third, of black and white striped fabric (now detached), with an oval plaque of green jadeite, ending in a jadeite pebble finial in a gilt-bronze mount. The necklace has its original wooden box see RCIN 70716, a hollow ring with a hinged cover and metal holding pin and ring; black-lacquered, the top painted in red, gold and black, with a pair of confronted four-clawed dragons and a flaming jewel.

    This is the Chaozhu, part of the regalia for the Manchu court official. Having its origins in Buddhism, it was introduced to the Manchu court in 1643.

    Text adapted from Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen: Volume III.

    Provenance

    Presented to Queen Mary by Lady Elizabeth Dering (Eidth A. Mountjoy, d. 1955) in 1933, with RCINs 23764, 70716, and 100916. Lady Dering was the wife of Sir Herbert Dering who was part of HM Diplomatic Services in Beijing, 1899–1902. According to the Windsor Castle North Corridor Inventory of Arms and Armour, the necklace 'Formerly belonged to the Chinese Imperial Family and [was] among the Dowager Empress of China's personal jewelry [sic] - Bought after the Boxer Siege of Peking' (no. 2500). 'The Boxer Siege' refers to the Boxer Rebellion of 1900-1901, an uprising aimed at removing all foreigners and Western influences from Chinese soil. It was suppressed in 1901 by an international force of more than 20,000 troops, some of whom subsequently ransacked the capital.

  • Medium and techniques

    Jadeite, amber, rose quartz, silver, coral, silk

    Measurements

    168.0 cm (length)

  • Place of Production

    China

necklace china