This exceptional pair of solid silver earrings, weighing a total of 490g and measuring 18cm in height, comes from the Miao people of southern China. Each piece consists of a thick circular ring, terminated at the ends by tight spirals. Suspended from this circle are eight concentric rings: five are finely engraved with dragons and yin-yang motifs, three are twisted and arranged on the outside, reinforcing the sculptural appearance of the whole.

Among the Miao of Guizhou, and in Hmong communities as far away as northern Thailand and eastern Burma, silverwork is central to women's traditions. More than an ornament, it is a sign of wealth and identity. Families begin building a silver trousseau as soon as a girl is born, so that she enters her marriage with a personal inheritance that will remain hers.

During important ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and spring festivals, women wear spectacular finery that reflects their status and the seniority of their lineage.

The earrings presented here are distinguished by their exceptional size, the quality of the silver, the vigor of the engravings and the balance of the composition. Their state of preservation is remarkable, the traces of use reinforcing the authenticity.

Due to their imposing size, their weight and the iconographic richness of the dragons, they are among the finest examples of their category and perfectly illustrate the virtuosity of the Miao goldsmiths.

References

– Beringen, J., et al., The Art of Silver Jewellery: From the Minorities of China, the Golden Triangle, Mongolia and Tibet – The René van der Star Collection, Skira, 2006.

– Hoek, C., et al., Ethnic Jewellery: From Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, Pepin Press, 2004.

China, Guizhou, late 19th to early 20th century.
18 x 12 cm

490 grams