Tiara, China

An extraordinary and rare 19th century headpiece commissioned specifically for a Chinese wedding. This tiara is made of brass, and covered entirely with blue kingfisher feathers. Nine phoenix birds form the lower register of the tiara, each holding a natural pearl in their tail. The house, symbolizing the newlywed couple, is held on the top by two dragons. Most of these jewelry pieces disappeared during the Cultural Revolution. For the remaining pieces the pearls were taken off and sold. This object reveals the extent of Gulf pearl trade during the 18th and 19th century.