An imperial embroidered yellow satin double-gourd purse - Mid-19th century

Finely embroidered on the yellow satin ground on one side with a lower scene of three rams and a pair of pheasants perched on a pierced blue rock below the sun, and on the upper section with birds perched on a wisteria vine, the reverse decorated below with black birds amidst blossoming pink peony and magnolia while two blue birds perch on a peony branch above, on both sides the scenes are separated by ruyi borders stitched in fine gold and silver-wrapped thread at the waist which is gathered by blue cords tied with endless knots, with matching ruyi decoration at the top, the edges bound in blue and white woven ribbon
6½ in. (16.5 cm.) long, lucite display case - Estimate: $12,000-18,000

Provenance: Purchased London, late 1970s.

Notes: The imagery of three rams (san yang) combined with the sun or taichi symbol represents wishes for a 'new start with auspicious possibilities and chances for prosperity'.

This purse is embroidered in the style for which the city of Suzhou became famous, using exceptionally fine thread and incredible detail. Examples of such purses and related acessories are in the Qing court collection. (Fig. 1)

Another similar double-gourd-form purse is illustrated by R.D. Jacobsen, Imperial Silks, Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, vol. II, Minneapolis, 2000, p. 770, no. 358, where it is described as a tobacco pouch.

Christie's. The Imperial Wardrobe: Fine Chinese Costume & Textiles from the Linda Wrigglesworth Collection. 19 March 2008, 10:00 am. 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York