Chinese Imperial Dragon Emblem Embroidery - ca. 1880s

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CHINESE IMPERIAL DRAGON "ROBE"
MAY 2006 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW - NEW YORK
additional information - reference

In New York City, James Callahan, of Skinner Inc. in Boston, set eyes on an object that you don't see very often in the United States: an imperial robe of a Chinese emperor. James believes it was sewn during the late 19th or early 20th century. (1800s)

The fabric was brought to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW by a man who came across it after buying a scarf for his wife among "a bundle of material," he said. "This was in the bundle." The robe is full of imperial symbols, including the rabbit in the moon and the popular dragon. "This material was so precious that it was actually weighed against gold for its value," James says. The robe was intended to reflect the divinity of the Chinese emperor.

Lost to history, though, are the names of the robe's makers, who were seamstresses, both women and men.

Women and men employed both inside the Imperial Palace and outside its walls, made the robes for Chinese emperors. "Little is really known about the production method," James says, partly because the entire process was shrouded in secrecy. Wives and concubines of former emperors who were talented weavers were often involved in the making of the robe.

With a casual glance, it's easy to think that this robe was embroidered. But it was actually woven in a process called k'o ssu. The designs are clear on both sides of the fabric and in some places, the artisans wove in gold thread. The robes were made for all kinds of ceremonies, and James suspects this one was made for a wedding celebration. This he deduced from the sewn hsi shuang symbol, which means "double happiness," woven for both bride and groom.

But despite all the fine craftsmanship that went into the robe, few ever saw it, because it was worn as underwear.

The bottom lip of this robe was all that showed.

This robe served as an undergarment and was worn with more than one other robe over it. "The only part of this robe that was ever actually seen was about two inches of the bottom," says James, referring to the rainbow pattern along the robe's bottom hem.

And what's more, if a guest at the wedding didn't see those two inches of fabric, there was little chance he would ever see it again because an imperial robe was worn only once.

The dragon is one of many symbols of the emperor.

Once worn by the emperor, his robes were considered sacred objects, never to be worn again by him, or anyone else.

Even the son of an emperor was not permitted to wear his father's robe. "The robes were saved and often given as gifts to temples and various officials," James says. "They were preserved as imperial mementos. If someone was caught wearing one of the imperial robes he could be executed."

Threads were literally made of gold.

Between $8,000 and $12,000 is what James thought too. "It has all the imperial emblems on it," he explained to the owner. "There are certain tears in the material, but those tears can be repaired. Overall, it hasn't faded." And James gave some of the credit to the owner, who has kept it away from light for 20 years. "By keeping it in a box, you probably did the best thing you could've done for it."

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