Item number: M243

Year: AD 1912-1949

Material: Gold

Size: 23.0 x 23.0 mm

Weight: 34.1 g (with box)

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a gold medallion crafted by the renowned Shanghai silver shop “Fengxiang Yuji” during the Republican period. The medallion is designed to resemble a coin. The obverse features a twin-masted Chinese junk, which appears to be modeled after the ship design found on the “Junk Silver” coins circulated during the Republic of China period. The upper edge of the badge bears the Chinese traditional Heavenly Stems notation “Ren”, and the inscription “Fengxiang De Chijin” (Fengxiang Pure Gold) at the bottom, including the shop’s name. The reverse has no inscriptions; it is adorned solely with a design imitating the “Great Qing Silver Coin” one-cent pattern, featuring a five-clawed dragon facing left and holding a dragon pearl.

In the 2nd year of the Xianfeng reign (AD 1852), the silver shop Fengxiang Yuji was established on Fangbin Road in Xiaodongmen, Nanshi, Shanghai, producing and selling gold and silver jewelry. The shop’s name and location underwent several changes over the years. In the 34th year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1908), the shop moved to Bentang Street on Nanjing Road and reinstated the name “Fengxiang Yuji.”

Fengxiang Yuji was one of the nine leading silver shops in old Shanghai. In AD 1931, Du Yuesheng, the notorious leader of the Green Gang who dominated Shanghai’s underworld, ordered a record-breaking large silverware piece from Fengxiang to celebrate the completion of his family shrine. Successfully fulfilling this order boosted Fengxiang’s prestige, elevating it above its peers and establishing it as the leader in Shanghai’s silver industry.

In AD 1951, after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Fengxiang’s Shanghai store was nationalised and became the “State-owned Shanghai Gold and Silver Jewelry Store.” Despite the upheavals of the Cultural Revolution and the subsequent era of Reform and Opening-Up, Fengxiang re-emerged in January AD 1985 under the name “Old Fengxiang Silver Store” at its original location. The business has continued to operate to this day.

物件編號: M243

年代: 公元 1912-1949 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 23.0 x 23.0 mm

重量: 34.1 g (含盒)

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚民國時期上海知名銀樓「鳳祥裕記」製造的金章。徽章外觀模仿錢幣造型作設計。徽章正面是一艘雙桅中式戎克船，應該是臨摹民國時期流通的船洋錢幣造型。徽章上緣是中國傳統的天干記數「壬」字樣，下緣則是含括商號的「鳳祥德赤金」銘文。徽章背面沒有任何銘文，僅以一條臨摹大清銀幣壹角圖案，向左擺首和握著龍珠的五爪龍作為裝飾。

咸豐2年(公元1852年)，鳳祥裕記銀樓開辦於上海南市小東門的方濱路，自產自銷金銀飾品。店名和位置後續歷經數次修改，光緒34年(公元1908年)，店址搬遷至南京路盆湯街並恢復「鳳祥裕記」字號。

鳳祥裕記是老上海銀樓同業的九大巨頭之一，公元1931年，叱吒上海灘的青幫老大杜月笙為祝賀家族祠堂落成，特意向鳳祥訂製破紀錄的大型銀器。完成這筆訂單的鳳祥聲勢上超越其他同業，成為上海銀樓界的翹楚。

公元1951年，中華人民共和國建立後，鳳祥於上海的店鋪被國家收購成為「國營上海金銀飾品店」。歷經文化大革命和改革開放的劇變後，公元1985年1月，以「老鳳祥銀樓」商號在原址復出，並且持續營業迄今。