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1957.12.019

Silver buckle

On display

1957.12.019

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Collection type
Object
Description
Silver buckle
Person
Field collector Unknown Collector
PRM source Herbert Henery Coghlan
PRM source Newbury Museum
Date / Period
Date made: 1850-1900
Date collected
By 1957
Acquisition information
Loaned: 12/1957 Transferred: 16/03/2020
Materials and processes
Material Silver Metal, Process Embossed
Dimensions
Length x Width 154 x 111 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1957.12.019
Research and responses

Sau Fong Chan, Assistant Curator for the Asian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum, examined this object during a research visit on 13 February 2013 and noted the following: The buckle is decorated with motifs from Chinese mythology, including the Dragon Fish, the Eight Immortals, the Phoenix and Qilin, which suggests a Chinese silversmith made this. In China all these motifs have positive spiritual meanings, plus the buckle is in very good condition, indicating this was kept for use on special occasions. Chinese silverware made in Malaysia is not unusual as Chinese people settled across many parts of Asia during the 18th and early 19th century. The Chinese living in these areas often used buckles like this to fasten sarongs, which they had incorporated into their own style of dress. [ZM 13/02/2013]

Search terms: Clothing, Figure, Buckle, Animal Figure