Antique Export Chinese Silver Kettle

Export Chinese Kettle & Stand

Maker: Hung Chong of Canton/Shanghai

circa 1900

height: 35cm

The teapot or kettle comprises a melon-shaped body with applied bamboo decoration, a hinged cover engraved with a bamboo leaf design and surmounted by a handle in the shape of a bamboo segment, and a sturdy hinged handle which is also stylised as a bamboo segment. It sits on a stand also stylised as bamboo. A spirit burner sits within the stand. The cap over the burner’s wick rotates by means of a turning knob so that the cap can be lifted. This device also lifts the wick. The set is all in high-grade silver and is fully functional.

Each of the base of the legs of the stand, the spirit burner and the kettle are stamped with ‘HC’ for Hung Chong and a Chinese ideogram. The maker Hung Chong is known to have had branches in Shanghai and Canton (Guangdong) in the second half of the nineteenth century and first quarter of the twentieth century.

Overall, this is a visually arresting, decorative object and an excellent example of Chinese silversmithing. It is in near-perfect condition.

References

a very similar kettle and stand by Hung Chong is illustrated in Chinese Export Silver: The Chan Collection, published in conjunction with the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore, 2005.

Inventory no.: 501

SOLD

Marks to the base of kettle

Marks to the base of the spirit burner

Marks to the base of a foot of the stand (each foot is similarly marked)