Vintage Chinese Woman's Silk Jacket

Description

View Vintage Chinese Woman's Silk Jacket with current marketplace pricing, condition, product images and item details. The jacket is decorated throughout with extensive hand embroidery executed in brightly colored silk threads. These designs are worked in a variety of traditional Chinese stitches, including satin stitch, split stitch, couching, and Pekinese stitch, producing a textured and vibrant surface. This Item is a genuine vintage Chinese woman’s embroidered jacket.   This is not just a beautiful garment but is also a wearable work of art.   This garment was acquired in Japan by an American GI, my husband’s Dad, who was stationed in Tokyo as part of the American Occupational Force at the end of WWII.   It is evident that this Jacket had been worn before he acquired it.   The provenance of this piece is unquestionable, as it has been exclusively in my husband’s family from 1946, when my father-in-law returned home to the US at the end of his deployment, right up to the present day.   This beautiful piece has been carefully stored for about 80 years.   This is a richly embroidered Chinese woman’s silk Jacket dating to the late Qing Dynasty through the early Republic period, approximately 1890–1930. The garment is tailored from deep blue silk satin and constructed in the traditional front‑opening style with a high mandarin collar and loop‑and‑knot frog closures. Its silhouette and finishing details - particularly the shaped collar, asymmetrical fastening, and applied sleeve bands - are characteristic of refined civilian women’s dress from the turn of the 20th century. The jacket is decorated throughout with extensive hand embroidery executed in brightly colored silk threads. The motifs include floral sprays, birds, dragons, pagodas, bridges, and auspicious landscape scenes, arranged both as free-floating elements and within circular medallions. These designs are worked in a variety of traditional Chinese stitches, including satin stitch, split stitch, couching, and Pekinese stitch, producing a textured and vibrant surface. The embroidery is dense and skillfully rendered, reflecting the high level of craftsmanship associated with women’s domestic needlework and professional workshop production of the period. A distinctive feature of the garment is its pair of contrasting white silk sleeve bands, each separately embroidered with multicolored floral and symbolic motifs. These applied cuffs were a common element in late Qing and early Republic attire, serving both decorative and practical purposes. The Jacket is further framed by wide embroidered borders with scrolling patterns, enhancing its visual richness and emphasizing its status as a festive or semi‑formal garment. This piece was acquired in Tokyo in 1946, during the American occupation of Japan. Its presence in Japan at that time is consistent with the movement of Chinese textiles into Japanese markets in the early 20th century and their subsequent dispersal in the immediate postwar period. The garment survives in fine condition, retaining its original embroidery, borders, and structural elements, and stands as a stunning example of early 20th‑century Chinese textile artistry.   The beauty and quality of this Jacket is evident from the photos.   As always, please review and examine them all very carefully and decide for yourself.   Bear in mind, however, that this piece is over 80 years old and evidently had been worn before my father-in-law acquired it in Japan in 1946. There is perspiration staining on the inner neck fabric.   There are a few stains on the Jacket itself.   There are a few places where the stitching has come loose.   When laid out in a “T” pattern, the approximate measurements of this Jacket are:   approximately 48” from sleeve end to sleeve end; approximately 26” from armpit to armpit; approximately 43” from top of the collar to the hem; approximately 30” from armpit to the hem; approximately 29” for flared hem width; and approximately 10-1/2” length of side slit.         This silk Jacket currently resides in a smoke-free and pet-free home.   This offering is a wonderful chance to acquire an original WWII-era elegant formal silk garment, with a rock-solid provenance.   I will try to answer all questions submitted to me on this Jacket.   Please Note:    In the case of this vintage Item that does not have a size label, it is the Buyer’s responsibility to ask about and check any measurements provided prior to making an offer and prior to purchasing.   This used vintage Item should not be expected to be in perfect pristine condition. Some cleaning and repairs might be necessary.   Used items should be expected to possibly need repairs, and / or further cleaning, depending on individual cleanliness preferences.   There are No Returns on this vintage Item whatsoever.      Condition: A beautiful and quality vintage Chinese garment. This silk Jacket is over 80 years old and had been used and worn before being acquired in Japan in 1946. View photos and read detail description for more information on condition.. Category: Antiques › Asian Antiques › China › Robes & Textiles.

Primary Material

Silk & Fabric

Color

Blue And White With Vivid Multicolor Embroidery

Original/Reproduction

Vintage Original

Region of Origin

China

Country of Origin

China

Age

1890-1930 - Late Qing-Early Republic

Maker

Handmade