A BROWN EMBROIDERED SILK 'BUTTERFLIES' LADY'S INFORMAL ROBE, QING DYNASTY China, 19^th century. Designed with a central opening finely worked in Beijing stitch and satin stitch on brown ground with fluttering butterflies, picked out in vibrant colors against a copper-brown ground. The collar and hem decorated with court ladies, auspicious flowers, birds, and scholar's rocks. The yellow ground sleeve bands with peonies and Buddhist treasures and a band of roundels with blue and white flowers on black ground.

Provenance: From a British private collection, according to the owner acquired in the early 20th century in China by their grandparents, and thence by descent within the same family.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear, one sleeve band partly open at the seam, minor soiling and traces of use, few loose threads.

Dimensions: Length 110 cm, Width 127.5 cm (across sleeves).

The word for butterfly in Chinese, 'die', is a homonym for 'octogenarian', and thus the butterfly is a symbol of longevity. It is also usually an auspicious image associated with joy and weddings, and this robe might have been originally made for such an occasion.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 17 September 2013, Lot 240
Estimate: USD 5,000 or approx. EUR 5,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A lady's brown silk informal robe, Qing dynasty, late 19th century
Expert remark: Compare the color of the silk ground, the hem, the stitching, and size (Length 118 cm, and Width 133.3 cm)


清代百蝶對襟女褂
中國，十九世紀。此褂對襟，圓領，褐色緞地繡百蝶紋。牙白緞為邊並繡人物山水花卉等圖案。

來源：英國私人收藏，藏家的祖父於二十世紀初購於中國，自此保存在同一家族至今。
品相：狀況良好，磨損，一條袖子在接縫處局部開線，輕微污漬和使用痕跡，局部絲線鬆動。

尺寸：長 110 厘米, 寬127.5 厘米(兩袖之間)

漢語中“蝶”與“瓞”諧音，即瓜瓞綿綿，意爲家丁興旺；同時取“蝶”與“耋”諧音，意爲高壽。蝴蝶作爲紋飾象徵這快樂，也出現在婚禮用品中。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2013年9月17日，Lot 240
估價：USD 5,000（相當於今日EUR 5,900）
描述：十九世紀末清代棕色絲綢女褂
專家評論：比較相近的褐色緞地、下擺、縫線和尺寸 (長 118 厘米，寬133.3 厘米)。