A Chinese satin silk ladies robe, Qing dynasty, mid-19th century, the eight roundels with ladies in the heavenly gardens in Pekin knot and satin stitch, with original embroidered dark blue silk borders, ruyi shaped collar edged with ribbons, with bright pink lining and high-quality buttons, the red sleeve bands embroidered with very fine Pekin knot, with wardrobe inventory label, 130cm cuff to cuff and 110cm hem to collarProvenance: By family descentAlmost certainly gifted to Lady Virginia Kathrine Smith in 1913Eric Hyde Villiers, later DSO, and mentioned in dispatches, (1881-1964) Eric Hyde Villiers worked for Martell cognac in Beijing from the early 20th century until about 1945. In an undated letter sent from the British Legation [June 1913], addressed to his mother Virginia then living in Belgium, as wife of the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of his Majesty the King of the Belgians, he says: 'My mornings are spent looking for Sung pottery, of which there would seem to be precious little left however I have bought you a beautiful dress of a Woman Mandarin which I trust may replace your present dressing gown when you give me audience of a morning. I know you will never put it on but it will look lovely in your cupboard.' 晚清 月白地緞繡團花紋漢女袍拍品來源：英國Villiers家族私人收藏，傑出服務勳章得主Eric Hyde Villiers所有，其為Francis Hyde Villiers爵士的兒子，祖父為第四代克萊瑞登伯爵George Villiers。從 Eric Hyde Villiers DSO（1881-1964) 的一封電訊中看，這件吉服極可能爲1913 年他送給Lady Virginia Kathrine Smith的禮物。1913年 6 月，在一封於從英國公使館髮出的未注明日期的信中，他冩給當時居住在比利時的母親Virginia ，她是特使兼比利時國王宮廷代表的妻子，他説：我每天早上都在尋找宋代瓷器，但它們似乎已經所剩無幾了，但我給你買了一件漂亮的滿族女士袍子。在下個我們相聚時的清晨，它或者可以取代你現在的晨衣。我知道你也許永遠不會穿上它，但它在你的櫥櫃裡看起來應當會很不錯。

creased cream ground with multiple stainssome relatively minor tears and splits lining stainedThe letter is not part of the lot and illustrated for reference only