This is a very old, very ornate dragon mug, awarded as a trophy in 1904. It has been tested and is sterling silver or better. It’s very well made and heavy (466 grams). The dragon is quite exceptional, with wonderful detail. See pics for hallmarks. It stands about 5 1/2″ tall and 5″ wide (including handle). Having just completed researching Chinese Export Silver makers marks and compiling the catalogue, of the 100+ makers, none appear to have been as prolific as Wang Hing. Like many of the Chinese Export Silver makers, the name Wang Hing is a purely fictitious one; a not uncommon phenomenon in China where business was often conducted under a name that was intended to invoke good luck and success. But whoever was the man at the helm, he was not only a master silversmith of extraordinary talent but he demonstrated entrepreneurial skills that few of his contemporaries seemed to have. Wang Hing began life at 1 Sai Sing Street in Canton in 1854. Pictured left is a typical scene of Cantonese streetlife of the time. We are talking of the very same time as the second Opium War it is only 12 years since the Treaty of Nanking and of the founding of Hong Kong as a British colony. It is the golden age of Chinese Export Silver; foreign trade had opened up considerably. So-called Western sophistication had not yet rooted itself in China, as we can see from the street scene. The fact that Tiffany & Co in New York discovered Wang Hing silver while travelling in China a discovery that resulted in a 20 year period where Wang Hing created silver for Tiffany attests to the level of. Wang Hing devised a makers mark that was only used on Tiffany items [right]. While it is undoubtedly a testament to the quality of Wang Hing workmanship, it is not just this that might have been the attraction to Tiffany. While the quality was high, the relatively to American and European silver, the cost of making was significantly lower. In fact, prior to adopting Wang Hing silver, Tiffany & Co did not actually stock silver. The majority of surviving Wang Hing silver is high quality, yet items decorated with predictable Chinese motifs and form. Yet some quite astounding pieces pieces are to be found that equal some of the best parallel Western silversmiths. The item “Antique Signed Wang Hing Chinese Sterling Silver Dragon Mug Bowling Trophy 1904″ is in sale since Thursday, September 01, 2016. This item is in the category “Antiques\Decorative Arts\Metalware”. The seller is “freemuzeum72″ and is located in Modesto, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Color: Silver