Object Description
A fantastic little silver christening mug with the original bright gilt interior. The body is applied with charming scenes of Chinese figures going about their daily life. The handle is shaped in the form of a dragon. To the front is a shield with the name “Joyce”.
Contains 170 ml.
Weight 149 grams, 4.7 troy ounces.
Height 9.2cm/10cm. Diameter of top 5.4cm.
Stamped underneath with Chinese silver marks for Leeching, Canton, Hong Kong & Shanghai.
Circa 1870.
LEECHING
Lee Ching (Leeching). Canton, Hong Kong & Shanghai. (circa 1840 – 1870).
Leeching had retail shops both in Canton and Shanghai specialising in the high quality luxury items, jewellery and silver sought after by Western clientele. Leeching’s early pieces imitated the finest quality European neoclassical style with a recognisable heavy weight. In the latter half of the 19th century, Leeching introduced traditional Chinese decoration (dragons, bamboo leaves and genre scenes), but continued to use neoclassical forms.
This Chinese company was also a supplier to Hancocks, the London silver retailer, who also worked for Queen Victoria.