A WOMAN’S RED-GROUND KESI SILK INFORMAL ROBE, CHANGFU, QING DYNASTY
China, 19th century. The bright red robe woven with three roundels on the front, three on the back and one on each sleeve, each roundel formed of vases filled with leafy blossoming lotus, peony, prunus, and magnolia as well as auspicious fruits and lingzhi fungus, interspersed by floral sprays and Buddhist symbols. The collar and wide cuffs of kesi black silk with similar decoration, all above the wide lishui border with stylized mountains amid rolling waves issuing Buddhist symbols. With five original gilt-metal buttons.


Provenance
: New York trade.

Condition
: Fair condition with some wear, tears, small losses, staining and soiling, minor old repairs, overall still presenting quite well.

Dimensions: Length 145 cm, Width 196.5 cm (across sleeves)


The kesi technique
is a particularly intricate way of introducing pattern within the weave of the fabric: the various colors are woven on separate bobbins creating the 'cut' effect at the boundaries between the colors, hence the name kesi or 'cut silk'. The technique is extremely time-consuming and skilled, achieving a reverse that is often as well-presented as the front of the fabric.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 14 September 2015, lot 8096
Estimate: USD 30,000 or approx.
EUR 35,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A ladies' informal red-ground kesi silk robe, changfu, late Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related kesi technique on red-ground silk, roundels with similar floral decoration (albeit centered by butterflies), and size (144.4 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 21 June 2011, lot 8244
Price: USD 20,740 or approx.
EUR 25,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Manchu noblewoman's kesi-woven silk court robe, late 19th Century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related kesi technique on red-ground silk, roundels with similar floral decoration (albeit centered by cranes), and related size (138.5 cm).




清代大紅緙絲團花紋常服


中國，十九世紀。如故宮藏大紅色緙絲八團花常服。面料以紅色為主，接袖為黑色，五個鏨花扣為金色，大襟右衽、馬蹄袖，八團花紋，可見荷花、牡丹、桃花、玉蘭以及靈芝。下擺部分的海水江崖紋，其色彩豐富。不同色彩之間銜接有序、相互融合，形成華麗之美。


來源：
紐約古玩交易。

品相：
狀況良好，有一些磨損、撕裂、小缺損、染色和污漬、輕微的小修。

尺寸：長145 厘米, 寬196.5 厘米 (兩袖之間)


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：舊金山邦翰斯，2015年9月14日，lot 8096
估價：USD 30,000（相當於今日
EUR 35,000
）
描述：晚清紅地緙絲瓜瓞綿綿團紋朝服
專家評論：比較非常相近的緙絲、紅地、花卉紋 (中間為蝴蝶紋)和尺寸(144.4 厘米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：舊金山邦翰斯，2011年6月21日，lot 8244
價格：USD 20,740（相當於今日
EUR 25,500
）
描述：十九世紀末滿州貴族婦女緙絲大袍
專家評論：比較非常相近的緙絲、紅地、花卉紋 (中間為鶴紋)和相近尺寸(138.5 厘米)。