A Chinese late 19th century embroidered silk 'long pao' (dragon robe) of the third style, featuring the Imperial symbols, to be worn by an Empress or Empress Dowager. photo Bonhams

the robe of bright yellow silk embroidered with eight roundels each containing a gold thread five-clawed dragon chasing a flaming pearl, surrounded by 'shou' characters, endless knots, bats and clouds and above waves and the sacred mountain; the shoulders and the centre front and back roundels featuring front-facing dragons and the skirt roundels featuring side-facing dragons; the roundels depict eleven of the twelve Imperial symbols (lacking waterweed); the ground silk dotted with groups of Buddhist and Taoist symbols; with wide square-cut sleeves edged with cream satin sleevebands each embroidered with two dragons, flaming pearls and Chinese script, with an inner sleeveband of floral embroidered navy silk, which is continued around the neckline, hem and side slits; fur lined with a wide collar, 114 x 143cm. Sold for £7,200

photos Bonhams

Note: It is believed this robe would originally have been a side opening robe, featuring all of the twelve Imperial symbols, but that the front right side of the robe was damaged, causing the robe to be cut down the centre front to remove the damaged portion, leaving the inner flap roundel (not featuring an Imperial symbol) exposed, explaining why only eleven of the Imperial symbols are represented. The centre front roundel was cut from the discarded portion and re-applied to the now exposed inner flap to complete the roundel featuring the 'constellation' symbol. At this time the groups of more crudely embroidered Buddhist and Taoist symbols were added, as well as the floral embroidered navy satin bands, the fur lining and collar. A peach coloured silk damask lining is visible in places. The robe features aniline dyes, including purple, throughout.

For similar (unaltered) robes see 'Imperial Wardrobe' by Gary Dickinson and Linda Wrigglesworth, 1990, p194-195.

photos Bonhams

Provenance: Collected in the 1920s as a gift for his wife, Eva, by the vendor's grandfather, a Royal Naval Captain of the notorious Cockschafer which patrolled the Yangtze River in the 1920s. He was the son of artist Daniel Albert Veresmith the portraitist of Arctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott, whom he painted in 1905.

photo Bonhams.

Bonhams. Embroideries, Costume, Textiles, Lace & Fans, 26 Jul 2011, Knowle www.bonhams.com