A rare Chinese export silver gilt and enamelled 'Eight Immortals' circular box for the Thai market, mark of hui yuan, circa 1840-1875, on the cover repoussé with the scene of the Eight Taoist Immortals gathering in a garden, each holding their own vessels that can bestow life or destroy evil, the exterior of the body decorated with a similar continuous scene, all against a bright blue enamel ground, the base impressed with 'wen yin' ('solid silver') and the silversmith's mark 'hui yuan' and 'xia jiu fu' (a historical canton street), 16.2cm high, weight 858 gram Provenance: A English Private Collection Hui yuan silver is quite rare and considered highly collectable as all Hui yuan pieces are of outstanding quality. The most common colours used in Thai pieces are greens and blues. The technique of incorporating blue enamel with silver [shao lan] can be traced back to the mid-Qing dynasty when such workmanship was exclusive to the Imperial family, and was most likely introduced to Thailand by the Chinese silversmiths arriving in the 18th and 19th century. See Bromberg, Paul, 2019, Thai Silver and Nielloware, Bangkok for similar examples of enamelled ground silver and silver gilt. 约清1840-1875 银烧蓝八仙图盖盒 戳记："纹银""汇源""下九甫" 克重：858克 拍品来源：英国私人收藏 Condition Report: Wear to the gilding and enamel Condition Report Disclaimer