Decorative Antique Plate of Chinese Ceremonial Regalia and Standards, 1815

This is an original hand colored copper engraving, dated 1815, from Giulio Ferrario's Le Costume Ancien et Moderne (ancient and modern costume), showing Chinese ceremonial regalia and standards. The plate has no engraved title or caption.

The objects are laid out across a plain ground without a setting. Across the top are a horned beast with flames at its shoulders and tail, a coiling dragon and a long tailed crested bird. Below them stand a low seat with a railed back and a footstool, a round fringed parasol, a large canopy hung with pendants on a crooked staff, and two narrow banners on poles. The lower half carries a long bow, a tasseled standard, a framed panel painted with a white dragon over a fringed hanging, a long green streamer, a folded standard on a hooked staff, a blade on a pole with a small banner, an arrow, a tall standard of tapering form, a pole hung with a column of ornaments and a tasseled spear. The coloring is mainly yellow, green and crimson.

The plate number "79" is engraved at the upper right above the border, and the engraver signed below the border at the lower right: "G. Zancon inc." A small round blind stamp is pressed at the lower right corner of the plate mark, and an oval blind stamp sits in the lower left margin.

The plate comes from Le Costume Ancien et Moderne by Giulio Ferrario (1767 to 1847), a Milanese scholar and publisher. The work was a multi-volume illustrated survey of the customs of the peoples of the world, issued in parts in Italian and in French. The part wrapper issued with these plates closes with the imprint "MILAN, DE L'IMPRIMERIE DE L'EDITEUR, MDCCCXV" (Milan, from the publisher's press, 1815).

Even age toning. Marked handling soiling along the bottom, left and top edges. Scattered light foxing in the margin. Slight wear at the bottom left and bottom right corners. Minor edge wear, shallow nicks along the left.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.