Important Silversmiths – Hoaching
Mid-19th Century Chinese Export exceptionally rare silver cruet / condiment stand, highly decorated with continuous village scenes, resting on three lion paw shaped feet and the handle realistically modelled as a dragon, one side bearing a shield shaped cartooche engraved with initials. The set holds hobnail cut bottles and five rests for the stoppers in similar style. Hallmarked Chinese Export silver, Maker's mark in Chinese for Hoaching (Wo Hing).
Reference Number: A4824
Hoaching (original Cantonese name is Wo Hing) is one of the largest silversmithing businesses based in Canton between 1825 and 1880. The shop, initially retailing finely carved ivory, is documented since 1825. It was later taken over by the founder’s two sons, and by 1850 the firm was retailing also silver, jewellery items, carved wood, mother of pearl and lacquer.
Basing his assumption on style, scholar Adrien Von Ferscht affirms that the shop was still working in 1870s, probably ending the production in 1880 circa.
As many other Chinese silversmiths at the time, Hoaching used to mark its silverware with a pseudo-hallmark, imitating the English hallmark system. The firm’s mark is commonly referred to as ‘Lombardic H’.
Hoaching was popular for the excellence of its workmanship and specialised in trophies and celebration silver, at the time particularly in demand among the Western sporting and gentlemen’s clubs of Hong Kong.
The brand’s pieces reveal a very imaginative fusion of Victorian style and Chinese motifs, which creates a very dramatic effect.
Well-known for the consistently high quality, Hoaching workshop mastered different techniques such as filigree, carving, encrusting.
19th Century Chinese Export solid silver three-piece tea set, decorated in Regency style with acanthus leaf and half fluted boarders, resting on three bird of pray claw shaped feet and applied with scroll shaped handles. The set is very unusual and very well made, the set is undeniably made for the English export market, but at the same time has small elements that are apparent to a knowledgeable eye that it was made in China. Hallmarked Chinese Export silver, bearing the Maker's mark in Chinese for Hoaching (Wo Hing).
Reference Number: A5130
19th Century Chinese Export Silver three piece tea set, comprising of a teapot, sugar bowl, milk jug, each pear shaped body is beautifully chased with bamboo leaves on a matted surface, each piece rests on a decorative domed foot and is applied with an intricately modeled bamboo handles and finial. Each piece with a shield cartooche, engraved with a family crest. Hallmarked Chinese Export silver, bearing the Maker's mark in Chinese for Hoaching (Wo Hing).
Reference Number: A4783