A rare Imperial 'twelve symbol' blue silk dragon robe
A rare Imperial 'twelve symbol' blue silk dragon robe, longpao, Jiaqing - Daoguang period, first half of the 19th century, woven with three colour gold threads in the kesi technique and with red, copper and silver woven details, the nine Imperial five-clawed dragons clasping or courting flaming pearls of wisdom, interspersed with clouds, bats of happiness holding symbols of longevity and shou long life symbols, above lishui ruyi shaped rolling waves, the twelve symbols of Imperial authority are arranged in three groups of four: the sun, moon, constellation and rock around the neck; the fu symbol, axe, paired dragons and golden pheasant around the body; the pair of temple cups, aquatic grass grains of millet and flames nestle on the froth of the waves, with deep blue and gold striped sleeve extensions, the later turquoise blue lining covering some or part of the original yellow lining beneath, approximately 150cm hem to neck x 215cm cuff to cuff Provenance: By family descentEric Hyde Villiers, later DSO, and mentioned in dispatches, (1881-1964) By repute gifted from Eric Hyde Villiers, circa 1913, to his father Sir Francis Hyde Villiers GCMG GCVO CB PC (1852-1925) This robe was almost certainly purchased in China in 1913 by Eric Hyde Villiers (1881-1964), grandson of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800- 1870). Eric Hyde Villiers visited China in 1913 as a partner of Martell Cognac. The robe was said to be a gift that he brought back to England for his father, Sir Francis Hyde Villiers (1852-1925), to the family home in England, The Grove, near Watford, now a hotel. It has remained largely untouched packed away for over 100 years, and was only very recently found in a tailor's box, having been pushed to the back of a drawer that was never opened. The family archive has a number of letters dated 1913, written in China by Eric to his parents, Sir Francis and Lady Hyde Villiers. They encompass various subjects including, a description of life in the British Legation, the trips to look at ancient sites, his private analysis of the legation staff, the British community in Peking and even the food. He also discusses his love of ancient Chinese culture and buying ancient things. Blue-ground robes decorated with the Twelve Symbols are exceptionally rare and worn only twice a year by the Emperor for ceremonies at the Temple of Heaven. These symbols, said to have been used since ancient times, represent the emperor's righteous rule over the universe. The annual cycle of rituals outside the walls of the Forbidden City required the Emperor to wear ritual attire of a specific colour. The Huangchao liqi tushi 皇朝禮器圖式 ('Illustrated Precedents for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court'), edited in 1759, specifies that the emperor was to wear a blue coloured Chao pao, 'when praying at the Southern Altar.' This refers to the Temple of Heaven located to this day in the southern suburb of Beijing. In winter the emperor used a fur-lined coat for the winter solace on the longest night of the year. There were at least two other occasions when the emperor was obliged to wear blue-coloured robes, in June when praying for rain at the Altar of Heaven during the first moon of the summer, and at the beginning of spring when offerings were made for a good harvest in the Hall of Annual Prayers, a short distance from the Altar of Heaven. If lined with yellow silk, such as the present example (underneath its later lining), the robes were specifically worn when invoking the celestial and terrestrial powers at the sacrificial altar praying for rain and a good harvest in summer. See Linda Wrigglesworth and Gary Dickinson, The Imperial Wardrobe, 1990, pp.54-66. A rigid scheme defined the position of the Twelve Symbols on the robes, so the sun, moon, stars, and mountain, symbolising the four main ceremonies which the emperor presided over throughout the year at the Altars of Heaven, Earth, Sun and Moon, were placed in pairs at the shoulders, chest and mid-back area; the paired dragons, the golden pheasant, the confronted ji character and the hatchet, representing all things on earth and the ruler's ability to make decisions, decorated the chest level, while the sacrificial vessels, the aquatic grass, the grains of millet and the flames, representing the ancestor worship and four of the Five Elements, were placed at the mid-calf level of the coat.Dragons with five claws called 'long', used exclusively for robes and badges of the Emperor had extraordinary powers that compared with those of the emperors past and present, embodying royalty and dominion. When clutching the flaming pearl the dragon expressed the visual metaphor of the good ruler who behaved wisely for the wellbeing of his subjects.清十九世紀早期 御製石青地緙絲金雲龍紋十二章吉服袍拍品來源：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。該龍袍為上世紀早期Eric Hyde Villiers在北平居住並為馬爹利干邑白蘭地工作時所購，並在過去一個世紀一直保存於衣箱之內。本品圓領，大襟右衽，馬蹄袖，裾四開，通身運用三色金線緙絲工藝，飾兩肩及前後正龍各一，下擺左右、前後及交襟處（底襟）行龍各一，兩袖端處正龍各一。間以十二章紋，通體裝飾流雲紋，下幅海水江崖與八寶立水紋。其章兩肩左日右月；前胸星辰後背飾山；兩肋左右前為黼、黻，後為華蟲與龍；下擺左右前為宗彜、水藻，後為粉米與火。間以彩雲飛蝠及長圓篆書壽字。乾隆十二年（1747年）重修《大清會典》，首次將冠服細分為禮服、吉服（采服）和常服，並對石青、明黃、大紅、月白四色禮服的服用場合作了具體規定，並延續至清末。飾有十二章的藍地長袍極為罕見，清代帝王只在位於紫禁城墻外的天壇祭典禮時使用，一年兩次。這件龍袍為石青地，與 1759 年編輯的《皇朝禮器圖式》中天壇祭祀規定標準一致。如內襯為明黃，例如本件（可見於現內襯之下），則專門用於在祭壇上祈求天神和地神，祈求夏季降雨和豐收。此袍周身列十二章紋，為天子服飾所繡圖案。以日、月、星辰、山、龍、華蟲、火、粉米、宗彜、黼、黻十二種紋樣裝飾於服飾之上，喻示帝王如日月星辰，光耀大地；如山，鎮重四方；如龍，變化威儀；如華蟲，文采輝煌；如宗彜，有知深淺之智、威武之德；如水藻，清爽潔淨；如火苗，光明向上 ；如粉米，供養萬民；如斧，剛絕果斷；如兩己相背，明辨是非，背惡向善。日、月、星辰、山、龍、華蟲稱上六章，宗彜、藻、火、粉米、黼、黻稱下六章。漢鄭玄注《周禮》中稱予欲觀古人之象，日、月、星辰，山、龍、華蟲、作繢，宗彜、藻、火、粉米、黼黻、希繡，此古天子冕服十二章。 從而把《尚書》十二章與《周官》五冕內容相結合。《隋書·禮儀》中載，衣則日、月、星辰、山、龍、華蟲、火、宗彜、畫以為繪。裳則藻、粉米、黼、黻以為繡，凡十二章。清以前，十二章中的部分章紋還可以用於親王等，至清時，十二章僅用於皇帝、皇後，其他皇族或貴族均不得使用。至此，十二章成為了帝、後獨享之級別至高的紋飾。此件龍袍工藝精湛、色彩瑰麗、華美堂皇，歷經兩個多世紀的風雨變遷之後，仍保存完好，殊為難得。
Condition Report: some minor fading and staining but overall the blue and gold in vibrant tones and generally in very presentable conditionThe deep blue and gold striped sleeve extensions and the turquoise lining of a later date the two halves of the robe with variations of shading of gold colours would originally have had cufflink style buttons now missingoriginal cuffs and collaroriginal brocade border
Bid on this lot
A rare Imperial 'twelve symbol' blue silk dragon robe, longpao, Jiaqing - Daoguang period, first half of the 19th century, woven with three colour gold threads in the kesi technique and with red, copper and silver woven details, the nine Imperial five-clawed dragons clasping or courting flaming pearls of wisdom, interspersed with clouds, bats of happiness holding symbols of longevity and shou long life symbols, above lishui ruyi shaped rolling waves, the twelve symbols of Imperial authority are arranged in three groups of four: the sun, moon, constellation and rock around the neck; the fu symbol, axe, paired dragons and golden pheasant around the body; the pair of temple cups, aquatic grass grains of millet and flames nestle on the froth of the waves, with deep blue and gold striped sleeve extensions, the later turquoise blue lining covering some or part of the original yellow lining beneath, approximately 150cm hem to neck x 215cm cuff to cuff Provenance: By family descentEric Hyde Villiers, later DSO, and mentioned in dispatches, (1881-1964) By repute gifted from Eric Hyde Villiers, circa 1913, to his father Sir Francis Hyde Villiers GCMG GCVO CB PC (1852-1925) This robe was almost certainly purchased in China in 1913 by Eric Hyde Villiers (1881-1964), grandson of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800- 1870). Eric Hyde Villiers visited China in 1913 as a partner of Martell Cognac. The robe was said to be a gift that he brought back to England for his father, Sir Francis Hyde Villiers (1852-1925), to the family home in England, The Grove, near Watford, now a hotel. It has remained largely untouched packed away for over 100 years, and was only very recently found in a tailor's box, having been pushed to the back of a drawer that was never opened. The family archive has a number of letters dated 1913, written in China by Eric to his parents, Sir Francis and Lady Hyde Villiers. They encompass various subjects including, a description of life in the British Legation, the trips to look at ancient sites, his private analysis of the legation staff, the British community in Peking and even the food. He also discusses his love of ancient Chinese culture and buying ancient things. Blue-ground robes decorated with the Twelve Symbols are exceptionally rare and worn only twice a year by the Emperor for ceremonies at the Temple of Heaven. These symbols, said to have been used since ancient times, represent the emperor's righteous rule over the universe. The annual cycle of rituals outside the walls of the Forbidden City required the Emperor to wear ritual attire of a specific colour. The Huangchao liqi tushi 皇朝禮器圖式 ('Illustrated Precedents for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court'), edited in 1759, specifies that the emperor was to wear a blue coloured Chao pao, 'when praying at the Southern Altar.' This refers to the Temple of Heaven located to this day in the southern suburb of Beijing. In winter the emperor used a fur-lined coat for the winter solace on the longest night of the year. There were at least two other occasions when the emperor was obliged to wear blue-coloured robes, in June when praying for rain at the Altar of Heaven during the first moon of the summer, and at the beginning of spring when offerings were made for a good harvest in the Hall of Annual Prayers, a short distance from the Altar of Heaven. If lined with yellow silk, such as the present example (underneath its later lining), the robes were specifically worn when invoking the celestial and terrestrial powers at the sacrificial altar praying for rain and a good harvest in summer. See Linda Wrigglesworth and Gary Dickinson, The Imperial Wardrobe, 1990, pp.54-66. A rigid scheme defined the position of the Twelve Symbols on the robes, so the sun, moon, stars, and mountain, symbolising the four main ceremonies which the emperor presided over throughout the year at the Altars of Heaven, Earth, Sun and Moon, were placed in pairs at the shoulders, chest and mid-back area; the paired dragons, the golden pheasant, the confronted ji character and the hatchet, representing all things on earth and the ruler's ability to make decisions, decorated the chest level, while the sacrificial vessels, the aquatic grass, the grains of millet and the flames, representing the ancestor worship and four of the Five Elements, were placed at the mid-calf level of the coat.Dragons with five claws called 'long', used exclusively for robes and badges of the Emperor had extraordinary powers that compared with those of the emperors past and present, embodying royalty and dominion. When clutching the flaming pearl the dragon expressed the visual metaphor of the good ruler who behaved wisely for the wellbeing of his subjects.清十九世紀早期 御製石青地緙絲金雲龍紋十二章吉服袍拍品來源：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。該龍袍為上世紀早期Eric Hyde Villiers在北平居住並為馬爹利干邑白蘭地工作時所購，並在過去一個世紀一直保存於衣箱之內。本品圓領，大襟右衽，馬蹄袖，裾四開，通身運用三色金線緙絲工藝，飾兩肩及前後正龍各一，下擺左右、前後及交襟處（底襟）行龍各一，兩袖端處正龍各一。間以十二章紋，通體裝飾流雲紋，下幅海水江崖與八寶立水紋。其章兩肩左日右月；前胸星辰後背飾山；兩肋左右前為黼、黻，後為華蟲與龍；下擺左右前為宗彜、水藻，後為粉米與火。間以彩雲飛蝠及長圓篆書壽字。乾隆十二年（1747年）重修《大清會典》，首次將冠服細分為禮服、吉服（采服）和常服，並對石青、明黃、大紅、月白四色禮服的服用場合作了具體規定，並延續至清末。飾有十二章的藍地長袍極為罕見，清代帝王只在位於紫禁城墻外的天壇祭典禮時使用，一年兩次。這件龍袍為石青地，與 1759 年編輯的《皇朝禮器圖式》中天壇祭祀規定標準一致。如內襯為明黃，例如本件（可見於現內襯之下），則專門用於在祭壇上祈求天神和地神，祈求夏季降雨和豐收。此袍周身列十二章紋，為天子服飾所繡圖案。以日、月、星辰、山、龍、華蟲、火、粉米、宗彜、黼、黻十二種紋樣裝飾於服飾之上，喻示帝王如日月星辰，光耀大地；如山，鎮重四方；如龍，變化威儀；如華蟲，文采輝煌；如宗彜，有知深淺之智、威武之德；如水藻，清爽潔淨；如火苗，光明向上 ；如粉米，供養萬民；如斧，剛絕果斷；如兩己相背，明辨是非，背惡向善。日、月、星辰、山、龍、華蟲稱上六章，宗彜、藻、火、粉米、黼、黻稱下六章。漢鄭玄注《周禮》中稱予欲觀古人之象，日、月、星辰，山、龍、華蟲、作繢，宗彜、藻、火、粉米、黼黻、希繡，此古天子冕服十二章。 從而把《尚書》十二章與《周官》五冕內容相結合。《隋書·禮儀》中載，衣則日、月、星辰、山、龍、華蟲、火、宗彜、畫以為繪。裳則藻、粉米、黼、黻以為繡，凡十二章。清以前，十二章中的部分章紋還可以用於親王等，至清時，十二章僅用於皇帝、皇後，其他皇族或貴族均不得使用。至此，十二章成為了帝、後獨享之級別至高的紋飾。此件龍袍工藝精湛、色彩瑰麗、華美堂皇，歷經兩個多世紀的風雨變遷之後，仍保存完好，殊為難得。
Condition Report: some minor fading and staining but overall the blue and gold in vibrant tones and generally in very presentable conditionThe deep blue and gold striped sleeve extensions and the turquoise lining of a later date the two halves of the robe with variations of shading of gold colours would originally have had cufflink style buttons now missingoriginal cuffs and collaroriginal brocade border
