Antique 19th Century Chinese export solid silver box, of rectangular form, decorated in repousse' high relief, on very finely tooled matted ground, depicting various figures in a landscape, including dignitaries, attendants amongst palaces, pavilions and a aristocratic processions along the sides. The box is particularly heavy and very well crafted, richly gilt inside, made by one of the most outstanding silversmiths at the time. The base is hallmarked with Chinese export marks (acid tested shows 900+ standard), Artisan mark of Xian Long (Shanghai), Retailers mark WS (Woshing)

Woshing was an important manufacturing and retailing silversmith in Shanghai and Canton. Common mistakes in the transliteration of Chinese silver marks in English caused several names for Woshing, such as Wo Shing, Woo Shing and Wah Shing.

Woshing silver is excellently crafted and was made in most of the patterns popular in the export market, such as bamboo, dragons, cranes, floral motifs. Apart from high-quality silverware, the firm was also famous for retailing luxury items in carved ivory, jade, gold and specialised in trophies and celebration silver.

Alongside with traditionally decorated silver tableware and flatware, of particular interest were pieces with creative and unconventional decors and forms. Bowls, tazzas, boxes in the modified Neo-classical manner were intricately crafted with realistically modelled birds, frogs and other animals in high relief. Such Woshing works are considered to be one of the most unusual among the Chinese export silver.

Although the full list of artisans working for the firm is impossible to make, it is well known that numerous Woshing silver pieces with outstanding enamels were created in cooperation with the respected silversmith Huang Qiu Ji.

According to the scholar Adrien Von Ferscht, the firm was on top four of the most notable Chinese retail silversmiths in the 19th century alongside Wong Hing, Poh Hing and Chong Woo.

CONDITION
In Great Condition - No Damage.

SIZE
Height: 5.5cm
Width: 15cm
Depth: 8.5cm
Weight: 345g