AN UNUSUAL BEATEN GILT SILVER 'FISH-DRAGON' QING DYNASTY, 18TH / 19TH CENTURY

formed by overlapping sheets of beaten gilded silver, the head marked with the wang ('king') character above small beady eyes, long whiskers and a wide grinning open mouth with a long tongue, joined to a lithe, tapering articulated six-sectioned body, the final section set with a wide broom-shaped tail, the edges and details picked-out in fine twisted wire, all fixed to a rectangular shape base

Bo Gyllensvard, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, cat. no. 164.
Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Ulricehamn, 1999, cat. no. 164.

Despite a slightly tarnished surface, the joints of the body and tail all work smoothly. The overall condition is 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."

It is rare to find gilt-silver vessels of this form, the figure of the fish-dragon made of thin sheets with its scales and outline of its tail made in twisted wires using the filigree technique. No similar example appears to be recorded, although a gold figure of a carp, attributed to the 18th century, was offered in our London rooms, 12th November 1974, lot 141.

Accessories in the form of fish-dragon can also be found; for example, see two gold hair ornaments sold at Christie's London, 20th March 1997, lot 192, attributed to the Liao dynasty; and a pair of gold-filigree earrings sold at Christie's London, 5th June 1995, lot 84. 

Fish-dragons are often associated with the sacred makara of India, a mythical animal that is part fish part crocodile. In China, the fish transforming into a dragon implied a wish for success in the civil service examinations. According to traditional belief, fish swimming upstream in the Huangjiang (Yellow River) had to leap over the rapids of the Dragon Gate. The first fish to succeed in doing so would transform and become a dragon. This belief became a metaphor for the poor scholar who passed the civil service examination and became a wealthy high official.