THREE CHINESE IMPERIAL KINGFISHER FEATHER HAIR ORNAMENTS

QING DYNASTY

One formed as an oval plaque, decorated with blossoming flowers with semi-precious stones, seed pearl petals, and dense foliage, the other two circular plaques with similar designs, each stabilised with metal wires, 16.5cm max. (3)

Provenance: a private collection, London.

Cf. C Gao, Chinese Dress & Adornment Through The Ages, The Art of Classic Fashion, p.163, no.324 for a set of similar kingfisher hair ornaments.

From the Qing dynasty Tongzhi period onwards, noble Manchurian ladies wore silk fabrics and elaborate hair ornaments to form a Liangbatou, which is a fake double-ended chignon fixed at the top of the head. This type of opulent hair ornaments was specifically designed for attaching to the artificial hair piece, which symbolise a woman's social status and her Manchu identity.