Posted 8 years ago
Elisabethan
(284 items)
When I first saw these hairpins in a photo I thought the blue was enamel. I didn´t know anything about them and the seller thought it was enamel. But I was inlove and bought them with out knowing what it was.
Later I have found out these are chinese Kingfisher feather (!) hairpins, probably Qing Dynasty but from late 18th to early 19th century. It looks like gilt metal, could be silver under it. The flowears are about 6,2 cm wide (about 2.4 inches ?).
Here are some more for inspiration:
http://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/rpr/index.php/object-biography-index/1-prmcollection/290-chinese-hairpins/
I can not find a suitable category.
http://www.busaccagallery.com/gallery_view.php?id=4363&page=photo
Elisabeth! I adore these! They are in pretty good condition :-)
Chinese name for this work is Tian Tsui,
interesting reading about it on Wikipedia:
Tian-tsui - Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tian-tsui
http://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/rpr/index.php/object-biography-index/1-prmcollection/290-chinese-hairpins/
http://www.busaccagallery.com/gallery_view.php?id=4363&page=photo
Your first link above is very interesting! Thanks for sharing :-)
These are just lovely. I've never seen anything like them.
Thankyou very much kyratango! When I posted the links I had not yet seen your answer. Great information thankyou! I'm sorry for the birds, but one can't deny the beauty and craftmanship of these pieces.
I'm happy I bought them. Don't think I will easily find more of these here.
Thankyou Efesgirl, neither had I :)
Yes kyratango, I think the condition is pretty good concidering age, travel and being very delicate. Just need to figure out how to store them now.
Thankyou for love kyratango, vetraio, Efesgirl, jscott and fleafinder!!
Thankyou for love sklo42, pops52, Belltown, martika!
Love these!!! They are stunning!!!
Thankyou very much martika!
Amazing! I felt in love with them.
Thankyou lentika :) then we are two.
Thankyou for love mikelv85 and lentilka for love!!
Thankyou Valentino. I don't know but I found information about Kingfisher birds on Wiki that said that a number of species are considered threatened by human activities and are in danger of extinction. But they don't mention the use of feathers as a factor but "habitat loss caused by forest clearance or degradation and in some cases by introduced species." And in Kyratangos link you can read that "Kingfisher art as a high art form came to an end during the Chinese Revolution in the 1940s." Maybe that has got something to do with it. But I agree with you if they are still used.
Thankyou Caperkid, aura and Valentino for love!
These are very beautiful Elizabeth!!!!
Thankyou TassieDevil, that's nice to hear.
I Love these Elisabethan.
Thankyou peasejean for your nice coment and "love". Elisabeth
Thankyou PhilDMorris, ho2cultcha, NevadaBlades, Sean68 and LovelyPat!
Can't deny the beauty of these and I would have bought them too..but! also sad..that eridescence on the feathers is amazing up close, I know!.. I have had a Kingfisher in my hand..we had 10 sitting on our fence post last week...an amazing sight!...:-)
Inky I agree.
Yes I agree Zaza, it is so intense :) thanks for loving this post. Thanks also to Raven.