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Details
A four symbol Imperial Gun fu (uncut)
the midnight blue satin ground embroidered in couched gilt and silver thread with four dragon roundels, each with a front facing dragon amongst cloud bands above a sea-wave border, the shoulder roundels worked with the Moon and Sun symbols, the 'front' and 'rear' roundels with the Consellation and the Rock symbols above the dragon's head, second half of the 19th century, (some wear and fading to ground)--155cm x 255cm
See Illustration and Front Cover for Detail
the midnight blue satin ground embroidered in couched gilt and silver thread with four dragon roundels, each with a front facing dragon amongst cloud bands above a sea-wave border, the shoulder roundels worked with the Moon and Sun symbols, the 'front' and 'rear' roundels with the Consellation and the Rock symbols above the dragon's head, second half of the 19th century, (some wear and fading to ground)--155cm x 255cm
See Illustration and Front Cover for Detail
Special notice
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Further details
It is probable that this style of surcoat was intended for the Emperor. Earlier imperial gun fu bore a Shou character to the front and rear roundels in addition to the Moon and Sun symbols to either shoulder. However, by the second half of the 19th century these Shou characters were replaced by the three-star Constellation and the Rock symbols which appear to the 'front' and 'rear' roundels on this example. For a discussion of Imperial gun fu see Imperial Wardrobe, Linda Wrigglesworth and Gary Dickinson, London, 1990, page 120 and Chinese Dress, Verity Wilson, The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1986, page 37.