US$7,463.18 DESCRIPTIONAntique 19th Century Chinese rare and unusual solid silver three piece tea set, comprising of teapot, lidded sugar bowl and cream jug. Each piece has straight can shaped body, panels chased in relief with various decorative scenes such as animals in the jungle, dragons and people in villages on a matted ground, lids mounted with bamboo finial and applied handles are modelled as bamboo branches. Hallmarked with Chinese silver marks (900+ standard), Tianjin, Maker Bao Cheng (active 1895-1920) Bao Cheng was known to be one of the oldest of the group of Tianjin merchants known as the "eight great families [ba ja jia]. His silver mark is very rare and there is only one other item known to be cataloged with his mark. Which is a cup and saucer made in a very similar style. This tea set clearly shows that Bao Cheng was making silver in what we would recognise as the "Straits Chinese" style, so one may assume from this that Bao Cheng was possibly creating silver for that market, for more information please see A.Von Ferscht, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1940, 4th edition 2015.CONDITIONIn Great Condition - no damage.TEA POTHeight: 14cm Width: 20 x 8.5cmSUGAR BOWLHeight: 10cm Width: 16.5 x 6.5cmCREAM JUGHeight: 9cm Width: 15 x 6.5cmTOTAL WEIGHT: 845gREFERENCE NUMBER: A4625