Antique Wang Hing & Co. Chinese Silver Belt Buckle

RESERVED FOR ANDY

This absolutely stunning piece of history is among the older and more exotic pieces we have at C&K. It's story is quite interesting...

The maker, Wang Hing & Co. was started in Canton in 1854. Established by a wealthy merchant family, WH&Co. quickly gained success, due in no small part to the recent colonization of Hong Kong by the British in 1842. The Treaty of Nanking facilitated trade from China, especially to England and the United States.
Prior to this, most silver exports tended to reflect British designs, in order to facilitate sales. However, the sudden abundance of trade to the Western world meant that Chinese exports were, more and more, featuring Chinese motifs. These became quite popular, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In fact, towards the middle of the 20th century, WH&Co. was the sole provider of Asian-styled pieces for Tiffany & Co. As you can imagine, Tiffany's would only accept the very best silver available.

After testing this piece, it's clear that the silver content is very high - well above 90%. It is simply stunning, in it's detail. The motif features a dragon on each half of the buckle, winding through itself. The reverse shows the stamp - 'WH 90' - indicating Wang Hing as the maker and the silver content to be equal to or above 90%. It measures 9cm x 7cm and weighs 46g. It dates back to the mid- to late-19th century, although unfortunately, dating of silver artifacts from this period and in this part of the world is nowhere near as detailed as British Sterling marks, so exact dating is very difficult.

It is, however, in pristine condition (10/10) and a truly exceptional piece of Chinese history.