Costume Chest Item Number: N1.867 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Cantonese Opera costume chest with curved lid and false bottom. False bottom 3 1/8 in. deep, has 1 1/4 in. holes, 8 1/2 in. from either end, front and back, for insertion of carrying poles. Curved lid is covered with leather (dark brown) secured by hand wrought iron nails. Chest is painted red with large circular floral motif in centre front. Vertical line of characters on green band on either side. Above the floral motif is Arabic numeral "9", which also appears in upper right hand corner. Above the central numeral is printed "Made in" (first line) and "Kum Lon Chang Co. Chong Yuen Fong Street, Canton" (second line). Pair of iron rings on either side of central numeral "9". Two iron handles mounted vertically. Iron rings and handles on back of chest also. Leather and wrought iron braces on corners. A wrought iron handle is mounted horizontally on each end of chest.
History Of Use
An accessory for Cantonese opera, used to store: costumes, headdresses, props, stage fittings, musical instruments and the shrine at which the actors worshipped their patron god before going on stage. Trunks were carefully observed by prospective audiences upon the arrival of a troupe because the number of trunks indicated the wealth and status of the troupe.
Iconographic Meaning
Red is the colour of good fortune.
Item History
- Made in China during 1920
- Collected between 1900 and 1940
- Owned by Jin Wah Sing Musical Association before August 28, 1973
- Received from Barrett Montford Endowment Fund (Funding source), Jin Wah Sing Musical Association (Seller), Leon & Thea Koerner Foundation (Funding source), Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source), Mah Society of North America (Funding source), Canada-China Friendship Association (Funding source), Quon H. Wong Agencies (Funding source) and Edith Low-Beer (Funding source) on August 28, 1973
What
- Name
- Costume Chest
- Identification Number
- N1.867
- Type of Item
- chest
- Material
- wood, iron metal, leather skin and paint
- Manufacturing Technique
- sawn, cut and wrought
- Overall
- height 86.5 cm, width 102.0 cm, depth 78.7 cm
Who
- Culture
- Chinese: Cantonese
- Previous Owner
- Jin Wah Sing Musical Association
- Received from
- Barrett Montford Endowment Fund (Funding source), Jin Wah Sing Musical Association (Seller), Leon & Thea Koerner Foundation (Funding source), Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source), Mah Society of North America (Funding source), Canada-China Friendship Association (Funding source), Quon H. Wong Agencies (Funding source) and Edith Low-Beer (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- China
When
- Creation Date
- during 1920
- Collection Date
- between 1900 and 1940
- Ownership Date
- before August 28, 1973
- Acquisition Date
- on August 28, 1973
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0248/0252