A BLACK SURCOAT (BUFU) WITH TWO KESI RANK BADGES (BUZI), QING DYNASTY
China, mid-19th century. The square rank badges identify a seventh degree civil official and are finely woven with silk and gold-wrapped thread. Both depictin a mandarin duck perched on a rocky outcrop amid interlocked lingzhi-shaped clouds, auspicious symbols including bats, peaches, gourds, and peony, as well as antique treasures including vases, ruyi scepters, and fans, all above lishui stripe below further clouds and crashing waves interspersed by the Eight Buddhist Emblems (bajixiang). Gilt metal buttons.


Provenance:
An important private collection of an American connoisseur and collector of Chinese robes, and thence by descent in the family.

Condition:
Very good condition with only minor wear and soiling, few loose threads and pulls, light staining, small splits.

Dimensions: Length 123 cm, Width 163.4 cm (across sleeves), Size 30 x 29.5 cm (the rank badges, each)


Literature comparison:

Compare a near identical rank badge, 26.6 x 28 cm, dated mid-19th century, in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession number 30.23, illustrated in Robert D. Jacobsen, Imperial Silks: Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles in The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2000, vol. 1, p. 313, no. 123.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 25 June 2013, lot 8391
Price: USD 25,000 or approx.
EUR 29,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An official’s black surcoat and group of accessories
Expert remark: Compare the closely related color, with similar black exterior and blue lining, and manner of weaving, as well as the related badge. Note that this lot further comprises a rosary and a hat. Also note the slightly smaller size (116 cm long).




清代石青色補服

中國，十九世紀中葉。圓領袍，前後綴上補子。補子上的鸂鶒代表七品文官。簿子上海可見蝙蝠、桃子、葫蘆和牡丹，以及包括寳瓶、如意和寳扇等紋飾，下有江崖麗水紋，其間有暗八仙。鎏金金屬鈕扣。


來源：
重要美國鑑賞家和中國長袍收藏家的私人收藏，並在同一家族傳承。

品相：
狀況極好，只有磨損和污垢，輕微鬆線和拉扯，小裂口。

尺寸：長 123 厘米, 寬 163.4 厘米(兩袖之間), 30 x 29.5 厘米(補子)


文獻比較：

比較一件幾乎相同的十九世紀中期官服，26.6 x 28厘米，收藏於明尼亞波利斯藝術館，館藏編號30.23，見Robert D. Jacobsen，《Imperial Silks: Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles in The Minneapolis Institute of Arts》，2000年，卷1，頁313，編號123。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：舊金山邦翰斯，2013年6月25日，lot 8391
價格：USD 25,000（相當於今日
EUR 29,500
）
描述：黑色官服和一組配飾
專家評論：比較非常相近的顏色，具有類似的黑色外層和藍色襯裡，編織風格，以及相近的補。請注意此還包括念珠和帽子。請注意尺寸較小(長116厘米)。