Images(2)

ceremonial costume

Object NameCeremonial Court Chain

Made FromGlass, Cord, Fabric, Metal

Date1800-1899

Place MadeChina

TechniqueBeadmaking, assembled

SizeAmethyst Beads H: 1.3 cm, Diam: 1.3 cm; Large Green Beads H: 2.7 cm, Diam: 2.7 cm

Accession Number51.6.294

Curatorial Area(s)

Exhibitions

Exhibition of East Asiatic Glass

On ViewEuropean Gallery

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

玻璃朝珠

Physical DescriptionCeremonial Court Chain. Transparent palest amethyst, cobalt blue, aquamarine blue, green, light green and dark amber glass beads, cord, fabric, metal; beadmaking and assembled. Long chain consisting of (a) 106 pale amethyst spherical beads cut with two longevity symbols and two bat forms; (b) three large blue-green spherical beads cut with four motifs of two bat forms with a longevity symbol; (c) a long pendant of cord-wrapped areas, an openwork gilt disc, one large blue-green spherical bead (like the three above), and one blue-green bottle-shaped bead cut with bats alternating with two longevity symbols and, at the neck, with six vertical herringbone panels and a long, narrow blue fabric strip, with thread-wound areas, sustaining a thin, flat oval form of transparent bluish-green and, as a terminal, a large drop of bright green glass with attached metal cap surmounted by a small cloudy colorless bead; and (d) three subordinate pendant strings of ten blue spherical beads cut with four longevity symbols, plus a cord-wrapped section and an eight-lobed ruby-red drop capped by gilt filigree and surmounted by a small cloudy colorless bead, each string being attached to the basic chain by an openwork disc of gilt metal.
Provenance

Source Nellie B. Hussey - 1951

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ceremonial costume

Imperial Workshops

1800-1899

1800-1899

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probably 1900

Imperial Workshops

1736-1795