In the movie “Opium War”, Lin Zexu was telling his subordinates how cumbersome these Western-style cutlery were for having a meal. Then after the war broken out and the Qing navy was totally defeated, Lin lamented how big the gap between the Western powers and China towards the mid-19th century, “If the Western barbarians are using these precious silver as a cutlery, it only goes to show how powerful they have become.”
“Sun Chong” Silver-Engraved Bamboo-Patterned Cutlery Set “慎昌”银錾刻竹纹刀叉餐具
Silverware | Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) | Donation by Mr. and Mrs. Wang Heng | Collection of Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum. 银器｜清（1644-1911）｜王恒、冯杰伉俪捐赠｜广州十三行博物馆藏
Extensive collection of Chinese Export Silver consisting of 12 place-setting canteen of silver cutlery with bamboo effect handles, bamboo leaf engraving to blades and spoon bowls and bamboo leaves to some handles, all with artisan mark for Sun Chong, in fitted hardwood boxes marked “Sun Chong“, and sold by Hoong Sue Lee Canton, comprising twelve knives, twelve forks, twelve fish knives, twelve fish forks, pair of fish servers, eleven apostle style teaspoon with Chinese figures to tops, eleven further teaspoons, sifter spoon, four various serving spoons, two pickle forks, butter knife, caddy spoon, two peppers and two salts and spoons, one further salt spoon.
While many Cantonese silversmiths started by making strictly Western-style flatware (like Fiddle pattern spoons), the set perfectly captures a transitional phase. It beautifully blends Western cutlery shapes (forks, spoons, and ladles) with highly detailed, repoussé Chinese motifs like faux-bamboo stems and leaf textures, which became immensely popular in the mid-to-late 19th century as global taste for Orientalist design grew.
According to Chinese export silver expert Adrien Von Ferscht, Sun Chong (aka Shen Chang 慎昌) is a very important Canton silversmith of the late 19th century and should be considered one of the master silversmiths of that period. At this time, many of the best silversmiths had chosen to leave Canton for Hong Kong, but Sun Chong decided to stay and the work he created is sometimes monumental in artistry. 1
Because paper labels and silk presentation boxes rarely survived the humid climates of southern China and international shipping, a piece that still has Hoong Sue Lee’s original trade packaging intact is exceptionally rare.
During research for this piece, I came across another complete and identical set of silver cutlery which the auctioneer revealed another important detail missing from the exhibit.
Artisan mark of Sun Chong on the blade of the fish knife as shown in the photo above from the set on auction by Stroud Auction.2 No other marks were found on the cutlery which give no further clue who Hoong Sue Lee from Canton was.
Chinese Export Silver from Canton
In the mid-18th century, European trade with China was restricted to the port of Canton (now known as Guangzhou), which facilitated the collection of taxes on exported goods through the Canton Customs and the Thirteen Hongs. Although the West had been trading in Chinese silks, spices and teas for almost 150 years by this point, the market for Chinese export silver did not flourish until the 1750s, when the international trading value of silver fell dramatically. 4
During this early period, Cantonese silversmiths focused heavily on imitating Western neoclassical, Georgian, and Regency silverware styles. Western merchants and sea captains brought British or European flatware to Canton as examples to copy. These sets are most likely an imitation of earlier cutlery set that was brought to the Thirteen Hongs where Cantonese artisans incorporated Chinese elements like the bamboo motifs for the popular Chinoiserie craze that was going on in Europe during the 17th and 18th century.
After the Thirteen Hongs were destroyed by fire, Britain and France leased Shamian as a concession. More than ten countries established consulates there, and nine foreign banks and over forty trading companies operated in Shamian.
The Chinese Export Silver Marks
During the early China Trade period (1785-1840)6, many Canton-based companies made silver that imitated Western silver in style and decoration. Broadly speaking, Chinese export silver from this period was of uniformly high quality and heavy weight, and was marked with initials and pseudo hallmarks in imitation of English hallmarks. 7
Many Chinese export silver items are stamped directly onto the metal with tiny steel punches (like the example above taken from another piece by Sun Chong on auction)8; the number “90” marked the purity of the silver, very much like the hallmark in British silverware except that this pseudo hallmark has not been certified. Accompanied by Chinese characters representing the specific master artisan who hand-carved or hammered the piece (like Shenchang 慎昌 which is the mark for Sun Chong).
This exceptionally rare, authentic late-19th to early-20th-century original trade label / paper box mark from Sun Chong, a boutique silversmith and goldsmith operating out of Canton (modern-day Guangzhou) was used on the original silk-lined presentation boxes or custom paper packaging given to the client at the time of purchase.
The name “SUN CHONG” printed on the original wooden storage boxes in the image is a Romanised Cantonese pronunciation associated with the Canton silversmith (artisan mark shown above) that operated in Canton (modern-day Guangzhou) roughly between 1875 and 1930.10
All photos taken by author at Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum Mar 2024, unless otherwise noted.
About Chinese Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
Footnotes :
- A. Von Ferscht, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1940, 4th edition 2015. https://www.lyonandturnbull.com/auctions/fine-asian-works-of-art-806/lot/61?srsltid=AfmBOoo2eSFrYJELuDghGS696xGaC15OQscI7PKVRwibr4GWmC__cV25
↩︎ - Lot 1871
Extensive Chinese 12 Place Setting Canteen Of White Metal Cutlery With Bamboo Effect Handles, Bamboo, Stroud Auctions Ltd.
https://www.the-saleroom.com/de-de/auction-catalogues/stroud-auctions-ltd/catalogue-id-srstr10079/lot-5e99d726-e236-4be9-b819-a99e01084161
↩︎ - A large Chinese export silver pitcher and basin
Mark of Gem Wo, Canton, mid 19th century
十九世紀中期 外銷銀壓花人物故事圖冷水壺及大盆 《慎昌》款
The basin with repoussé panels showing processions surrounding the central scene of an emperor watching a ritualized hunt; the pitcher with chased repoussé scenes of warriors in battle surrounding an oval reserve inscribed with two characters Nichu, the curved handle with incised flora design, each stamped with two character Chinese mark reading Shenchang and G.W.
14in (36cm) height of pitcher, 20in (51cm) diameter of basin, total silver weight approximately 141oz troy (4385gm) https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26127/lot/38/a-large-chinese-export-silver-pitcher-and-basin-mark-of-gem-wo-canton-mid-19th-century/
↩︎ - Jill Wadell, Chinese export silver – a guide for new collectors. Christie’s, 6 Aug 2019 https://www.christies.com/en/stories/collecting-guide-chinese-export-silver-ca63de80aa77490886bcff8cf5fb475f
↩︎ - A set of “Shenchang” silver engraved bamboo-patterned small spoons “慎昌”银錾刻竹纹小勺一套
Silverware | Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) | Donation by Mr. and Mrs. Wang Heng | Collection of Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum. 银器｜清（1644-1911）｜王恒、冯杰伉俪捐赠｜广州十三行博物馆藏
↩︎ - When antique experts or curators use “China Trade Era”, they are using a convenient blanket term to describe the window between roughly 1757 and 1930. This was when Chinese artisans created high-end commercial products specifically designed for Western export. For official historical research, however, you would search under the Late Qing Dynasty or the Canton System.
↩︎ - Adrien von Ferscht, Understanding Chinese Export Silver Marks. Jan 2016. http://chinese-export-silver.com/understanding-chinese-export-silver-makers-marks/
↩︎ - Cased Chinese Export Silver Three-Piece Tea Service With Sugar Tongs. https://www.lyonandturnbull.com/auctions/fine-asian-and-islamic-works-of-art-682/lot/37?srsltid=AfmBOorw2F3Q47LiDmnXpc2-7Xl6D8VYy6DG77yUh8kFggB2o-S-6BG1
清末民初 「慎昌」、「90」、「CL」款 外銷銀竹林舞蝶圖海棠形茶具一組四件（帶原盒）
the retail mark is “CL” for CHEONG LAM/C.L. 林昌 [CHENG LIN]; a Canton retailer.
↩︎ - LOT 38
A large Chinese export silver pitcher and basin
Mark of Gem Wo, Canton, mid 19th century
FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS AND WORKS OF ART
21 July 2020, 12:00 EDT
New York
Sold for US$35,075 inc. premium
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26127/lot/38/a-large-chinese-export-silver-pitcher-and-basin-mark-of-gem-wo-canton-mid-19th-century/
↩︎ - Chinese Export Silver Marks Identification Guide. Oriental Antiques. Last updated: January 2026 https://orientalantiques.co.uk/chinese-export-silver-marks-identification-guide/?srsltid=AfmBOor_Dxiw5_bH9lBByqjGt24Bidu_7toXar2WYODf3f7PK9-pVVz7
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