Lot 355
A Pair of Kingfisher Headdresses, 19th Century (Gemstones and Wire 20th Century)
Lot 355 Details
A Pair of Kingfisher Headdresses, 19th Century (Gemstones and Wire 20th Century)
19世紀 點翠頭飾一對
Each elaborately rendered with coral, pearls, rose and lavender quartz and jasper, with finely cast leaves laid with delicate iridescent kingfisher feathers
height 6" — 15.2 cm.
Estimate $600-$800
Provenance:
From an Important Collection, Charlottetown, Canada, acquired from Victoria, Canada, circa 1972
Note:
The earliest written references to the decorative use of kingfisher feathers in China date from the Han dynasty (206BCE - 220CE). Traditionally, only the Empresses would have worn such elaborate ornamentation, however, this nineteenth century pair would have been worn by a bride on her wedding day, or by an aristocratic lady on a formal occasion.