One embroidered women's silk robe, cream with blue trimmed sleeves. The robe opens down the front and is fastened by five moulded metallic buttons on black satin loops. Embroidered with Peking stitch butterflies and flowers. Collar, ham, and opening are accented with an embroidered narrative panel. Couched gold thread sleeve edges have bird and flower embroidery in mauve, lavender, aqua, and white on blue background. Side slits are 17" long. Pale orange silk lining with self-pattern. Hand-made. Few yellow/brown spots and streaks on right side of front, on center of left front; lining below collar torn (~5" in length) and around hem front opening. Brown stains on lining near left opening. Women of Manchu origin (Ching Dynasty: 1644-1911), in general, wore full length gowns like this one, while the Han majority women wore skirts beneath shorter robes with wider sleeves. Bought by donor's mother, about 1928-1929, for $25-60 in Seattle at Dayan's, a linen shop on 5th Ave. between Pike and Pine, who carried some Oriental tablecloths and napkins.

1987.003.002