A RARE IMPERIAL GOLD AND SILVER-EMBROIDERED BLUE-GROUND TWELVE SYMBOL 'DRAGON' ROBE, LONGPAO, JIAQING PERIOD (1796-1820)

A RARE IMPERIAL GOLD AND SILVER-EMBROIDERED BLUE-GROUND TWELVE SYMBOL 'DRAGON' ROBE, LONGPAO
JIAQING PERIOD (1796-1820)
The robe is worked entirely in couched gold and silver threads with nine writhing five-clawed dragons confronting flaming pearls amidst ruyi-form clouds interspersed with bats and the bajixiang. The Twelve Symbols of Imperial Authority are arranged in three groups of four: the sun, moon, constellation and mountain around the neck; the fu symbol, axe, paired dragons, and golden pheasant around the body; and the pair of libation cups, aquatic grass, grains of millet and flames, all reserved on a blue ground above auspicious emblems rising from the terrestrial diagram and lishui stripe at the hen; with midnight-blue cuffs and collar decorated with further dragons and clouds.
57 ½ in. (146 cm.) long

Pre-Lot Text
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF AN AMERICAN GENTLEMAN