Two Silk Aprons

Both made for Han Chinese women.

The first apron with green pleated silk damask woven with cranes amongst clouds. The front and back panels edged with parallel rows of woven ribbons in purple, white, grey and black silk and decorated with birds, flowers, spots and small flower heads. With a cotton waistband. The second apron with turquoise pleated silk damask woven with peonies, the front and back panels of wide black silk ending in a ruyi-head pattern near the hem and wide purple woven ribbons decorated with cranes, peaches, butterflies, shou characters and Precious Objects. With a cotton waistband.

Provenance: Bought in Beijing by a British diplomatic family in the 1950s