An uncut silk yardage for an official’s formal court robe, chaofu 朝服, 19th century. Photo Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions.

consisting of two panels, worked in couched gold thread and multi-coloured satin stitch, each depicting ten symmetrically placed dragon medallions above the terrestrial diagram flanked by two five-clawed dragons contending a flaming pearl amidst the bajixiang, bats and vaporous ruyi shaped clouds, above colourful waves and foaming crests, 261cm long by 64cm wide. Estimate £500-800

清十九世纪 缂丝朝服补

Official’s formal court robe, chaofu 朝服, 19th century

Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions. Chinese Ceramics and Asian Works of Art. 17th May 2014. http://www.dreweatts.com/