Chinese Ancient Gold & Silver

Collection｜Antique Collection

BC 770 - 1911

This display brings together gold and silver vessels, animal ornaments and personal adornments recorded in the gallery’s catalogue. Bowls, cups, ewers and boxes can be compared through their silhouettes, handles, covers, feet and decorated surfaces.

Animal forms, birds, flowers and figural scenes appear in different scales and arrangements, while coloured insets and contrasting golden and silver-grey areas add variety. The descriptions focus on visible form and ornament. Dates, materials and named techniques follow the existing records unless otherwise noted.

1A Gilt-Silver Lobed Bowl and Dish Service Decorated with Deer Motifs, Tang Dynasty

2AN ARCHAIC PARCEL-GILT SILVER CANDLE STICK HOLDER, WARRING STATES PERIOD-WESTERN HAN DYNASTY (475 BC-AD 8)

3A Large Gilt-Silver Lobed Bowl with Phoenix Decoration, Tang Dynasty

4A Large Gilt-Silver Lobed Bowl with Phoenix Decoration, Tang Dynasty

5A Gilt-Silver Covered Jar with Swing Handle and Mandarin Duck Decoration, Tang Dynasty

6A Gilt-Silver Reticulated Incense Pomander with Floral and Bird Decoration, Tang Dynasty

7A Clam-Shell-Form Silver Box with Mandarin Duck and Floral Decoration, Tang Dynasty

8A Silver High-Footed Cup Decorated with Scrolling Leaf Motifs, Tang Dynasty

9A Gilt-Silver Vessel with Floral Foliage Decoration, Tang Dynasty

10A Gilt-Silver Ewer with Flying Apsara Decoration, Tang Dynasty

11A Gilt-Silver Small Flask with Hunting Scene Decoration, Tang Dynasty

12A Gilt-Silver High-Footed Cup with Hunting Motifs, Tang Dynasty