A MANDARIN'S SUMMER HAT, JI GUAN, WITH A NINTH-RANK OFFICIAL'S FINIAL AND LEATHER TRAVELLING BOX, QING DYNASTY China, 1644-1912. The hat of conical shape decorated with red tassels, surmounted by a gilt finial signifying an official of the ninth rank, the bamboo frame covered in a pale-yellow silk damask gauze with floral design, brocade rim, and blue ribbon. The interior covered in red silk with foliate design and with a blue ribbon. The original hat box made from wood, leather, textiles and further with metal handles and lock, designed to carry the Mandarin's robe, belt, boots, necklace etc. during travel.

Inscriptions: To the interior of the hat box, 'Yue Dong' (East Canton), 'Shen Chen Gao Di Jie Dong Yue Yu He Zao' (made by Yue Yu He in East Gao Di Street of the provincial capital), and 'Guaranteed to be genuine and if you purchased a fake from us, we will give you an exchange'.

Expert's note: A chop such as the one on the interior of the present hat case is not only quite rare to find, but it also indicates that already during the Qing dynasty many fake hats must have been in circulation. As a result, the shop had to provide a written guarantee to appease suspicious customers, an apparently timeless issue that most readers will be familiar with.

Published: Linda Wrigglesworth, The Accessory, London, April 1991, page 3.
Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth, London, 1991. An English private collection, acquired from the above. Finding her passion for Chinese textiles in 1976, when encountering her first dragon robe, Linda Wrigglesworth opened her gallery in 1978, and over the following decades became one of the world's leading experts in antique Chinese costumes and textiles, helping to buy and sell pieces to private collections and public institutions worldwide. She has written countless articles and curated countless exhibitions. In 2008 she retired from her business and sold her private collection of Imperial textiles at Christie's New York.
Condition: Overall good condition with natural wear, minor losses and traces of use, as expected from such a piece. The hat with small tears, few minor stains, and loose threads. The silk possibly faded and with some soiling. The box with minor scratches and losses, soiling, natural age cracks and associated old repairs. Displaying remarkably well throughout.

Weight: 230 g (the hat), 4.5 kg (incl. the box)
Dimensions: Diameter 32.5 cm (the hat), Length 56 cm (the box)

With a matching hat box of the same period. (2)

The present lot was intended for summer use, as indicated by the silk material over a lightweight bamboo frame. This semi-formal type of hat is referred to as ji guan or festive hat.

Under Manchu formal dress regulations, the colors of hat finials were used to distinguish official ranks. In 1727 the Yongzheng Emperor introduced a new type of formal insignia, so-called 'mandarin hat buttons', a large round bead, which was mounted with a gilt base to the hat. These mandarin hat buttons signified a person's rank. Officials of higher rank were permitted to wear jewels, while lower ranks wore plain gilt jewels. Ninth-rank officials were allowed to use plain gilt beads as hat buttons.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's New York, 24 March 2004, lot 34
Price: USD 10,158 approx. EUR 15,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A group of three semi-formal court hats, jiguang, and a tiered hat box, 19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related form and decorations, as well as the size (31.1 cm). Note this lot comprises three hats and a tiered box.



清代九品官吉服冠
中國，1644-1912年。無簷，喇叭式，圓錐形帽飾紅色流蘇，鎏金頂飾，用篾席外裹淡黃色綾羅，錦邊。內部覆蓋著帶有葉狀紋的紅色絲綢和一條藍色絲帶。帽盒由木頭、皮革、紡織品製成，並帶有金屬把手和鎖扣，旅行便携盒，可用來放置長袍、腰帶、靴子、項鍊等。

款識：帽盒内標籤”粵東，省城高第街，東約裕和造，如假包換”

專家注釋：像現在的帽盒內部的標籤，不僅非常罕見，而且說明在清代一定已經有很多假帽子在流通。這家商店不得不提供書面保證。

出版：Linda Wrigglesworth，《The Accessory》，倫敦，1991年4月，頁3。
來源：Linda Wrigglesworth，倫敦，1991年；一個英國私人收藏，購於上述收藏。1976 年，Linda Wrigglesworth 在遇到她的第一件龍袍時發現了她對中國紡織品的熱情，並於 1978 年創立了她的藝廊。在接下來的幾十年裡，她成為了中國古代服飾專家，並協助世界各地的私人收藏和公共機構購買藏品。她寫了無數的文章，策劃了無數的展覽。2008年，她退休後在紐約佳士得出售了她私人收藏的御製紡織品。
品相：整體狀況良好，自然磨損、小缺損，有使用痕跡。這頂帽子有小水漬和輕微的污漬，還有鬆散的線。絲綢有些褪色、污漬。盒子有輕微的劃痕和損失、污漬、自然老化和相應的維修。

重量：帽230 克，總 4.5 公斤
尺寸：帽直徑 32.5 厘米，盒子長 56 厘米

來自同時期的相配帽盒。

本拍品為夏季使用，用篾席外裹淡黃色綾羅表明了這一點。這種半正式的帽子被稱為吉服冠。

雍正五年（1727）頒佈了關於官帽的規定，即通過不同的頂珠來確定官銜級別，比如給上級官員如親王、郡王、入八分鎮國公俱用紅寶石頂；未入八分公、一品大臣等俱用珊瑚頂；二三品大臣俱用起花珊瑚頂；奉恩將軍、四品官員用青金石頂；五六品官員俱用水晶頂。九品官員使用鏤金帽頂。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2004年3月24日，lot 34
價格：USD 10,158（相當於今日EUR 15,500）
描述：十九世紀一組三件吉服冠和尖帽盒
專家評論：比較相近的外型和裝飾，以及尺寸(31.1厘米)。請注意這組有三件帽和盒子。