Chinese Pair of Antique Silk and Gilt Sleeve Bands

Chinese pair of silk and gilt sleeve bands. Very unusual and rare design showing intense couched gilt embroidery with silk birds of the nine Mandarin Civil Ranks. embroidered on dark blue satanised silk which is associated with a fourth rank Mandarin court Official.

The birds are the ones from the Qing Dynasty and in order are: red headed crane, Golden Pheasant, Peacock, Wild goose, silver pheasant, egret, mandarin duck, quail and paradise flycatcher.

The birds are surrounded with intense couched gilt thread of flowers and foliage.

Excellent subject matter and condition.

Made after 1860