Chinese Eating Kit

Shagreen & Silver Eating Kit with Semi-Precious Stones

This fine Mongolian or Tibetan-style Chinese eating set comprises two bone chopsticks; a steel-bladed eating knife and a scabbard.

The chopsticks are capped with fine silver decorated ends. Both are engraved with leafy bamboo motif on one side and with Chinese script providing traditional birthday wishes on the other. The script reads:

福如東海

– Happiness as (filled-up as) the eastern sea; and  

壽比南山

– Longevity as (high as) the southern mountains

The knife has a single-edged blade and is very lightly etched with scrolling cloud motifs to both sides. The handle is of bone and is capped with silver decorated with a bat motif on one side and a chrysanthemum flower on the other.

The scabbard is covered in light-green shagreen and has prominent silver mounts. These mounts are very finely done and include a stylised dragon which holds a belt ring in its mouth, a long-life symbol and a jade and ruby cabochon stones surrounded by sets of bat motifs, as well as further pairs of bat motifs, all against a finely tooled background. Traditionally, bats convey happiness and good fortune – the word for bat ‘fu’ is a homonym for the word for ‘happiness’.

The set is in fine condition. It shows signs of age and use, as would be expected (and hoped for.)