Wooden Eating Set with Metal Mounts and a Selection of the Attributes of the Eight Immortals, Knife with Jade Handle, Fabric Case
Inventory number: 88a-c
© Collection Asian Eating Sets, Dieter Ammer / Photo: Fabian Glawe
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Origin: probably China
Dimensions and material:
Quiver (23.2 x 2.9 cm): Wood, Iron
Knife (Hilt and Blade: 11.4 cm, 19.1 cm): Copper, Jade
Chopsticks (15.6 x 0.6-0.3 cm): Bamboo
Fabric Case: Silk, Gold
Weight: 296 g
Technique: Wood Quiver, Metal Mounts
Motifs: Dragon, Tendrils, Immortals, Endless Knot, Blossom, Leaf, Insect, Fish
Short description:
The eating set consists of a quiver containing a knife and two chopsticks. The piece also comes with a fabric case.
The quiver is made of dark lacquered wood. The wide ferrule is made of iron and is open-worked in some places. It is framed by two bands running around it and divided vertically into three roughly equal picture fields. The fitting is in the shape of a dragon’s head. To the left and right of the dragon’s head the gourd, an attribute of the Eight Immortals, can be seen set in tendrils. The central field on the front is occupied by the sword, another attribute of the Eight Immortals. The handle cap bears an infinite knot centred on the front. Here, too, further attributes of the immortals are worked into the tendril motifs (presumably the castanets above and the bamboo drum below). On the reverse side, three infinite knots are inserted into the tendrils.
The hilt of the knife is made of jade. The ferrule is made of copper.
The chopsticks are made of bamboo, with a joint carved into the top. The lower third is covered with silver.
The cloth case is worked with blue cloth on one side and black cloth on the other. The blue side is framed by a black border with gold threads, the black side again by a blue border. The black side is embroidered with cherry blossoms and leaves as well as a beetle, the blue side with two fishes arranged on top of each other. The embroideries are decorated with gold threads.
