Qing dynasty (1644-1912), silk embroidered with gold wrapped thread and polychrome silk threads in a satin stitch, each square badge has a red head crane to the center standing on a craggy blue rock over turquoise swirling waves, flora and peaches to left and right sides, and an iron red sun is featured in the upper left corner amidst cloud bands, border has a thick gold thread key motif to each badge.

6 1/2 x 7 in.

From the Collection of the late Dr. Schuyler Van Rensselaer Cammann (1912-1991), Esteemed Professor Emeritus in the Department of Oriental Studies, University of Pennsylvania

First rank civil official was the highest rank and the crane symbolized longevity and wisdom.

Schuyler Van Rensselaer Cammann was an American scholar renowned for his contributions to the field of art and archaeology of Asia, particularly Southeast Asian and Chinese art. He began his distinguished career at Yale University, where upon graduation he spent two years living in Changsha teaching English and European History. He traveled extensively at this time and developed a great interest and appreciation for Tibetan art. He returned to America to attend graduate school at Harvard, but before proceeding to his PhD, World War II broke out and Dr. Cammann returned to China to serve as a US naval officer. After the war, he completed his doctorate at John Hopkins and then went on to teach for many years at the University of Pennsylvania. He continued to conduct fieldwork expeditions to Asia. Over the length of his career, he received many notable awards and recognition for his scholarly contributions to the field of Asian art and archeology.


Good estate condition; one badge with cut down the center from placement on a court robe; this same badge has some very light fading or darkening to some threads and some loose gold threads to border at bottom center; navy silk ground has some edges loose from back stitching.