A MANDARIN'S SUMMER HAT, JI GUAN, WITH A SIXTH-RANK OFFICIAL'S FINIAL AND LEATHER BOX, QING DYNASTY China, 1644-1912. The conical hat decorated with a red horsehair tassel, surmounted by an opaque white glass finial signifying an official of the sixth rank, the bamboo frame covered in bluish-white silk with foliate designs and brocade rim. The interior in red silk with foliate designs and a blue ribbon. The original leather hat box padded with blue silk on the interior, further with handles and a metal lock.

Published: Gary Dickinson & Linda Wrigglesworth, Imperial Wardrobe, London, 1990, page 109, pl. 89.
Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth Ltd., London, 1982. An English private collection, acquired from the above.

After finding her passion for Chinese textiles in 1976, when encountering her first dragon robe, Linda Wrigglesworth opened her gallery in 1978, and over the following decades became one of the world's leading experts in antique Chinese costumes and textiles, helping to buy and sell pieces to private collections and public institutions worldwide. She has written countless articles and curated countless exhibitions. In 2008 she retired from her business and sold her private collection of Imperial textiles at Christie's New York.
Condition: Overall good condition with natural wear, minor losses and traces of use, as expected from such a piece. The silk faded and with some soiling. The box with wear, few small tears and losses, light scratches.

Weight: 190 g (the hat) and 1.3 kg (incl. the box)
Dimensions: Diameter 29 cm (the hat) and 36.7 cm (the box)

With a matching hat box of the same period. (2)

The present lot was intended for summer use, as indicated by the silk material over a lightweight bamboo frame. This semi-formal type of hat is referred to as ji guan or festive hat.

Under Manchu formal dress regulations, the colors of hat finials were used to distinguish official ranks. In 1727 the Yongzheng Emperor introduced a new type of formal insignia, so-called 'mandarin hat buttons', a large round bead, which was mounted with a gilt base to the hat. These mandarin hat buttons signified a person's rank. Officials of higher rank were permitted to wear jewels, while lower ranks wore plain gilt buttons. After 1730 sixth-rank officials were allowed to use crystal jewels or opaque white glass buttons.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's New York, 19 March 2008, lot 114
Price: USD 13,125 or approx. EUR 17,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Mandarin's summer hat, black satin autumn hat and a hat box, 19th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and decorations, as well as size (29.5 cm). Note this lot comprises two hats, one of which is a closely related summer hat with a clear glass button signifying an official of the fifth rank, as well as a hat box.



清代六品官員吉服冠
中國，1644-1912年。無簷，喇叭式，圓錐形帽飾紅色馬毛流蘇，涅白琉璃頂珠，用篾席覆以青白色絲葉紋，錦邊。帽內用葉狀紋紅色絲綢，一條藍色絲帶。皮帽盒內襯藍色絲綢，配有提手和金屬鎖扣。

出版：Gary Dickinson & Linda Wrigglesworth，《Imperial Wardrobe》，倫敦，1990年，頁109，圖 89。
來源：Linda Wrigglesworth，倫敦，1982年；一個英國私人收藏，購於上述收藏。1976 年，Linda Wrigglesworth 在遇到她的第一件龍袍時發現了她對中國紡織品的熱情，並於 1978 年創立了她的藝廊。在接下來的幾十年裡，她成為了中國古代服飾專家，並協助世界各地的私人收藏和公共機構購買藏品。她寫了無數的文章，策劃了無數的展覽。2008年，她退休后在紐約佳士得出售了她私人收藏的御製紡織品。
品相：整體狀況良好，自然磨損，輕微缺損和使用痕跡，正如這件作品所預期的那樣。絲綢褪色並帶有一些污漬。盒子有磨損，很少有小撕裂和損失，有輕微劃痕。

重量：帽190 克，總1.3 公斤
尺寸：帽直徑 29 厘米，盒36.7 厘米

來自同時期的相配帽盒。

本拍品為夏季使用，用篾席覆以青白色絲葉紋表明了這一點。 這種半正式的帽子被稱為吉服冠。

雍正五年（1727）頒佈了關於官帽的規定，即通過不同的頂珠來確定官銜級別，比如給上級官員如親王、郡王、入八分鎮國公俱用紅寶石頂；未入八分公、一品大臣等俱用珊瑚頂；二三品大臣俱用起花珊瑚頂；奉恩將軍、四品官員用青金石頂。九品官員使用鏤金帽頂。1730年之後，六品官員可以使用水晶頂。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得， 2008年3月19日，lot 114
價格：USD 13,125（相當於今日EUR 17,500）
描述：十九世紀吉服冠和秋帽
專家評論：比較非常相近的外型和裝飾，以及尺寸(29.5厘米)。請注意此組為兩件帽，一件是非常相近的五品吉服冠，以及一件帽盒。