MIAO OR DONG APRON COUNTER WEIGHT WITH SWAN ENGRAVINGS, CHINA

Arts Tribaux LLC

Beautifuly designed silver counter weight with engraved pair of swan designs. 

"Only in the rearest cases do we sometimes see incised animal motifs along the curve of the S-shaped counterweight..."

Bowers Museum

"Silver was used as a currency in China as early as the turn of the ccommon era.  It is unclear when exactly the Dong and Mao of southern China began melting down standarized silver ingots to create adonrments worn at festivals, but it has been at least since before the 14th Century. These crafted silver pieces are intricate and beautiful. Esecially those of the Miao who are the most prolific silver makers of the region. This post examines Dong and Miao silver apron counterweights which fall outside of the norm for the regions by being the only instance of silver used for daily wear."

"The many silver ornaments owned by unmarried Dong and Miao women are worn at monthly festivals and clebrations like weddings.  A standard costume includes a large headdress, earrings nceklaces breast and shoulder ornaments of a yound woman can weigh over 20 pounds. Though the Dong and Miao's silver apron counterweights is a par of this festival wear.  It also sees daily use making it the only silver object always in Dong and Miao woman's reperttoire.  There are a few standard forms of this counterweight, the most common os which is the S-shape.  Knobbed forms are rarer and could be used independently or in conjunction with the S-weight by wrapping one of the S-shaped weight's curves around the perpendiccular section connecting the knob and the W-shaped part of the knobbed weight.  Either fiber or silver chains with silver coins used as buttons tie around the counterwieght's loops and connect to fabric ties on the back of aprons.  Depending on the style, counterwights weight between 1/2 to 1 1/2pounds with knobbed counterwights being the heaviest...."

Bowers Museum information for its counter weight

1 pound 2.8 ounzes

$950.00

Artwork details