The Qing dynasty, officially the Great Qing , was the last imperial dynasty of China. It was established in 1636, and ruled China proper from 1644 to 1912. It was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The Qing multi-cultural empire lasted for almost three centuries and formed the territorial base for modern China. It was the fifth largest empire in world history. Reference: Wikipedia
Below are some examples of astrological items made during the Qing period.
Qing Dynasty Kangxi Kaishu style mark
An apricot satin brocade seat cushion cover Late Qing dynasty Woven in pleasing colors of red, gray, various shades of brown, and metallic threads with two symmetrically arranged large roundels, each centered with a flower head and intriguing scrolling patterns, enclosed by two pairs of five-clawed dragons contesting flaming pearls, further surrounded by classic lotuses and fu-lions chasing ribboned brocade balls, the outer bands decorated with zodiac animals and phoenixes flanking either paired dragons or confronting tigers; mounted to a wood frame and protected by a plexiglass case.
Sold for US$ 1,625 (£ 1,254) inc. premium at Bonhams in 2018
Snuff-bottle ( with stopper). Zodiac animals. Made of blue, red underglaze porcelain. also coral. Qing dynasty term details 1800-1860 (circa)
Reference: © The Trustees of the British Museum
SMALL RAT IN WHITE JADE CHINA, DYNASTY QING, XVIII-XIX CENTURY Representing one of the signs of the Chinese zodiac. The rat is beautifully carved sitting, wearing a long dress and a roll in his hand. Height: 6 cm. (2 3/8 in.)
Sold for EUR 50,000 at Christies in 2018
Chinese Red Overlay Clear Glass Snuff Bottle Qing Dynasty The compressed globular form raised on a low oval foot rim, carved through the ruby red layer to the clear bubble suffused ground depicting the twelve animals of the zodiac. Height 2 7/8 inches.
Sold for $531 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle New York in 2018
A Chinese Carved White Jade and Beaded Bracelet with Twelve Zodiac Figures, late Qing Dynasty, 19th-20th century 9-3/4 inches long (24.8 cm) (overall)
Sold for $480 at Heritage Auctions in 2018
Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911) Date: 18th century
The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac—rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig—have been popular decorative motifs in various media. This set of carvings, made of flawless pale green jade, must have been particularly prized during the Qing dynasty: two additional identical sets from the imperial collection are known (now in the Palace Museum, Beijing). With extraordinary talent and skill, the master carvers created a lively group of individual characters with accessories in their hands and in varied postures.
Reference: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
WELVE ANIMALS OF THE ZODIAC With one collector’s seal of Qian Jingtang (1907-1983), shu qing cao tang with seven other collectors’ seals, xiang zi jing jia zhen cang, zhuang jiong sheng tan an shi zhen shang, ji shu jian ding zhen ji, xin gong zhen shang, zhan jin tang shou cang yin, kun shan xu shi jia zang, fang lin jian shang, and several others seals illegible Colophon by Pan Boying (1904-1966), signed Boying, dated yihai (1935), spring, with two seals of the artist, pan bo ying yin, jiu ru xuan Titleslip by Ma Gongyu (1890-1969), signed Yongjia Ma Gongyu, with one seal, leng weng ink and color on silk, album of twelve leaves each 20.6 by 16.6 cm. 8 1/8 by 6 1/2 in. (12)
Sold for 22,500 USD at Sothebys in 2018
Vase of porcelain, with bulbous body and long straight neck. Painted under a clear glaze with four dragons in blue outline and a pearl among clouds in red, on a cloudy blue ground.
In China the dragon is a much revered and feared beast, one of the twelve animals of the zodiac. Dragons are often linked with the emperors of China, and are shown on many things made for the court, like this 18th century vase. But many dragon legends connected with fertility and rain were known by ordinary people. An object with a dragon on it may refer to one of these stories instead.
Reference: © Victoria and Albert Museum
