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Susan Dods collection of Mandarin hat buttons + more bells with Chinese glass finials
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Posted by: beadiste

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02/21/2015, 10:35:21

Be sure to visit the link to see the wonderful photos.

Just for the hell of it I did an online trawl for these little enameled silver bells with hat button-style finials featuring big glass beads, and found over a dozen.

They're stamped "CHINA" and feature clappers of smaller glass beads.
Guessing these went out of style once servants no longer needed to be summoned via tinkling a bell.

The cased glass specimens are interesting, yes?

SilverEnamelBellsComposite.jpg (96.6 KB)

Related link: http://susandods.com/blog/2009/07/chinese-mandarin-hat-buttons.html
Modified by beadiste at Sat, Feb 21, 2015, 10:37:05

Links to the Christies Linda Wrigglesworth Collection of Mandarin Hat Buttons
Re: Susan Dods collection of Mandarin hat buttons + more bells with Chinese glass finials -- beadiste	Post Reply	Edit		Forum	Where am I?

Posted by: beadiste

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02/21/2015, 10:43:58

Follwed the breadcrums in Susan Dods' post, and found these.
Christies links seem to be pretty long-lasting, so hopefully these can be enjoyed for awhile.

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/textiles-costume/a-group-of-ten-mandarin-hat-buttons-5048867-details.aspx?from=salesummary&pos=6&intObjectID=5048867&sid=f7bb9786-b209-4699-8098-9998f5cb7691&page=10&lid=1

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/textiles-costume/a-group-of-eleven-mandarin-hat-5048862-details.aspx?from=salesummary&pos=1&intObjectID=5048862&sid=f7bb9786-b209-4699-8098-9998f5cb7691&page=10&lid=1

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/textiles-costume/a-group-of-seven-hat-buttons-and-5048866-details.aspx?from=salesummary&pos=5&intObjectID=5048866&sid=f7bb9786-b209-4699-8098-9998f5cb7691&page=10&lid=1

Pitt Rivers Museum link
Re: Susan Dods collection of Mandarin hat buttons + more bells with Chinese glass finials -- beadiste	Post Reply	Edit		Forum	Where am I?

Posted by: beadiste

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02/21/2015, 10:52:47

Around the end of the 19th century, China began to incorporate the buttons into miniature bells for export. The button formed the handle above a two-inch tall porcelain-covered metal bell, which used a small glass bead on a chain as a clapper. Today both the buttons and the bells are collector's items.

Source: Pitt Rivers Museum Body Arts | Mandarins' buttons

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