A FINE GOLD 'FENG' PHOENIX ORNAMENT QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

executed in meticulous filigree work, the hollow body and head made of thin, plaited gold wires soldered together over a wire framework resembling feathers,  the beak formed from plain beaten gold with the crest depicted in filigree, the body resting on outstretched wings of further filigree network, the long tail plumage neatly splayed out in seven straight feathers with individual barbs of the feather finely rendered along the shaft terminating in palm-shaped 'eyes', further embellished with three natural grey pearls set along the centre shaft of three feathers, the underside fixed with two short tubes for affixing to a headdress, the rear of the bird set with another tube for another fitting

Catalogue of the Exhibition of Chinese Art 1935-6, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935-36, cat.no. 708.
Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.,1954-55, cat.no. 54, fig. 54.
Chinese Gold, Silver and Porcelain: The Kempe Collection, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1971, cat.no. 29, an exhibition touring the United States and shown also in nine other museums.

Bo Gyllensvard, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, cat.no. 54.
Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 76.

The tips of the tail feathers may have had further embellishments - either pearls or suspended ornaments, that are now missing. The lotus flower on the chest is held by wire through the underside of the body. However, the overall condition is still very good.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Gold ornaments in the form of a flying phoenix, such as the present piece, were used for decorating winter and summer court hats worn by the empress or imperial concubines. Court hats of this type were generally decorated with three phoenixes at the top, set with three large 'Eastern Pearls' (dongzhu), and seven further phoenixes surrounding the crown encrusted with over two-hundred medium and smaller size pearls. For further description of court hats of this type see Yang Boda, 'Ancient Chinese Cultures of Gold Jewellery and Ornamentation', Arts of Asia, vol. 38, no. 2, March -April 2008, pp. 109-110, where a winter court hat, from the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated, pl. 66. Another similar hat, from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, was included in the Exhibition of Ch'ing Dynasty Costume Accessories, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1986, cat.no. 2 and front cover. A third court hat decorated in the same fashion with silver phoenixes encrusted with pearls is published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Costumes and Accessories of the Qing Court, Hong Kong, 2005, pl. 164.  

The present ornament is meticulously crafted in the filigree technique whereby gold threads or thin wires are delicately curled, twisted or plaited to form a lace-like decorative phoenix design. It represents the high quality of workmanship achieved in the Imperial Workshops during the Qing dynasty. It is inlaid with pearls which were harvested from the Sungari, Yalu and Amur Rivers in Manchuria. These pearls, also known as 'Eastern Pearls', were used only for the decoration of objects and costumes worn by the emperor or members of the imperial family. They were especially treasured by the Manchus for their association with their homeland. 

For related examples see an ornament in the form of a female phoenix (huang) in this collection, lot 2309; and another, of closely related form but encrusted with gems rather than pearls, from the collections of Jay Leff and Lillian Schloss, sold twice in our New York rooms, 25th October 1975, lot 96, and again, 9th December 1987, lot 10. 

Phoenix-form ornaments made of silver and inlaid with kingfisher feather were also used for decorating headdresses called fengtian (phoenix headress) worn by Manchu court ladies. These were worn on special celebratory occasions and festivals. A number  of independent headdress ornaments made up the overall design which included flying phoenix, dragons, clouds, bats and flowers. For examples of fengtian headdress ornaments see several, from the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, and included in the exhibition, op.cit., Taipei, 1986, cat.no. 88.

Ornaments in the form of a flying phoenix have been popular since the Tang dynasty.  See a Tang example from the Pillsbury collection in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts included in the exhibition Arts of the Tang, Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, 1957, p. 110, cat.no. 299. Compare also a Tang hair ornament in the form of a female phoenix (huang) illustrated in Zhang Linsheng, 'Zhongguo gudai de jingjin gongyi', The National Palace Museum Monthly of Chinese Art, no. 14, 1984, p. 25, fig. 27, together with a painting depicting Tang court ladies wearing phoenix ornaments in their hair, fig. 26.

In China phoenix traditionally represents the empress while the emperor is represented by the dragon. The pair of flying phoenix (fenghuang yufei) is associated with the wish for a harmonious marriage. Phoenix is also considered as one of the four divine animals and its tail of five colours represents the five cardinal virtues of benevolence, righteousness, sincerity, knowledge and propriety.