Robe
Object name
Date made
Circa 1930s
Place made
Description
1930s embroidered silk robe depicting Chinese dragons.
Content description
Kimono-style Chinese robe from the 1930s, likely made in China for the European market. The robe is made of raw silk embroidered with white, red, blue, and green cotton threads. Stitches include satin, counted satin, and stem. The front of the robe features a symmetrical design, with four-clawed dragons diving downwards into a layer of clouds and their heads appearing from puffs of clouds on the pockets, giving them the illusion of disappearing and reappearing on separate parts of the robe. The dragon on the back is in roundel form, and looks towards a red and blue pearl of wisdom.
This robe is nearly identical to one previously owned by Freddie Mercury, which was sold in his 'A World of His Own, In Love with Japan' sale in 2023, despite the iconography being Chinese in origin. The early and middle decades of the 20th century saw a large European market for dressing gowns and robes embellished with East Asian-style dragon motifs, in line with a larger trend of Asian influence felt in the period's loungewear. Garments made for the western market blended together styles, motifs, and stitches from various parts of East Asia, as seen in this robe's combination of a kimono shape and Chinese-style dragons.
This robe is nearly identical to one previously owned by Freddie Mercury, which was sold in his 'A World of His Own, In Love with Japan' sale in 2023, despite the iconography being Chinese in origin. The early and middle decades of the 20th century saw a large European market for dressing gowns and robes embellished with East Asian-style dragon motifs, in line with a larger trend of Asian influence felt in the period's loungewear. Garments made for the western market blended together styles, motifs, and stitches from various parts of East Asia, as seen in this robe's combination of a kimono shape and Chinese-style dragons.
Dimensions
width: 125cm
length: 134cm
length: 134cm
Materials
Stitches
Motifs
Catalogue number
RSN.3116
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