Item number: M458

Year: AD 1897-1909

Material: Silver, Coral, Enamel, Lazurite

Size: 87.4 x 65.5 x 8.4 mm

Weight: 64.35 g

Provenance: Spink 2025

This is a Fourth Class Order of the Double Dragon issued by the Qing government.

The outermost rays of the star are made of silver and arranged in alternating long and short points. There are eight large and eight small points, forming a total of sixteen facets, creating a radiating eight-pointed star. The central device is also of silver. On the outer ring, the inscriptions on the left and right read “Imperially Bestowed Order of the Double Dragon” in Manchu and Chinese respectively, with the Manchu inscription ending with “Fourth Class.” The inner ring depicts a double dragons chasing a pearl motif: two scaleless dragons with their heads facing upward. Between the dragon heads was originally set a smooth red or orange coral element. At the very centre there was originally a lapis lazuli spherical bead, which has since been ground flat.

The order takes the form of a five-petalled lotus. The spaces between the petals are filled with five five-petalled blue-enamelled blossoms, representing the lotus in profile. The outer ring of the upper cover bears the motif of two dragons contesting a pearl—specifically, a pair of “Wu-scaled” dragons with heads raised, flanking a polished coral bead; in the miniature this bead is simplified to a flat roundel of red enamel. At the centre lies a larger carved coral bead, left uncarved and polished in the miniature.

This order belongs to the second issue of the Order of Double Dragon, promulgated in the 23rd year of Guangxu (AD 1897), revising the earlier issue of the 7th year of Guangxu (AD 1881). A memorial submitted on 13 March in the 23rd year of Guangxu (AD 1897) identified two principal defects in the earlier design: first, the “form” did not accord with that of a true “precious star”, having appeared variously in rectangular, floral, sunflower, or circular shapes; secondly, the insignia was excessively heavy and inconvenient to wear. The two versions differ little in class or institutional structure, the revisions being confined chiefly to alterations of form.

The emergence of Qing orders occurred after the First Opium War, when increasing numbers of Europeans entered China and traditional diplomatic and administrative practices proved inadequate to new circumstances. Even with the establishment of the Zongli Yamen to manage foreign affairs, differences in custom and protocol frequently gave rise to friction. Because many foreigners were employed in Qing military, educational, and economic enterprises, traditional Chinese forms of reward—such as hat finials or imperial commendations—proved unsatisfactory to them. To align with Western practice, the Qing government devised the system of orders.

In the 34th year of Guangxu (AD 1908), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorialised and obtained approval for extending the award of the Order of Double Dragon beyond foreigners to include Qing diplomatic officials and envoys sent abroad. The Ministry observed that in Western countries orders were primarily established to reward nationals, whereas the Qing system functioned in the opposite manner. At formal diplomatic occasions, foreign representatives customarily appeared in court dress adorned with their national orders, whereas Qing diplomats were often unable to display orders of their own state and could only wear those received from foreign governments, necessitating reform.

Because the issue period of this star falls at the end of the nineteenth century, a time of increasing diplomatic activity, the second issue of AD 1897 was produced, awarded, and preserved in considerable quantity, making it the most commonly encountered version of the Order of Double Dragon among modern collectors.

The two versions of the Order of the Double Dragon have no significant differences in terms of class and system. The following table shows the correspondence between the levels of the Order of the Double Dragon and the recipients of the awards according to the regulations of the Order in the 7th year of Guangxu (AD 1881):

物件編號: M458

年代: 公元 1897-1909 年

材質: 銀、金、珊瑚、珐瑯、青金石

尺寸: 87.4 x 65.5 x 8.4 mm

重量: 64.35 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2025

這是一枚清政府頒行的四等雙龍寶星勳章。

寶星最外圍的星芒為銀質，以長短間隔排列，有八大八小共十六個稜角，呈現放射狀的八芒星。中間的圖案區亦為銀質，最外圈左右側分別為滿、漢文的「御賜雙龍寶星」，滿文末有「四等」。內圈呈雙龍搶珠圖，為兩隻無鱗龍之龍首朝上，龍首間原為一光面的紅色或橙色珊瑚。正中央原為一青金石圓珠，但被削平。

此寶星為光緒23年（公元1897年）發行的第二版雙龍寶星，改版了光緒7年（公元1881年）發行雙龍寶星。從光緒23年（公元1897年）3月13日的奏摺裡，可見當時寶星的兩個主要問題：第一為「版型」並為具備真正「寶星」的形式，因有長方形、菱花形、葵花行與圓形；第二則為佩戴不便，因為過於沈重。兩個版本的雙龍寶星在等級、制度基本上沒有太大的差異，只有寶星的樣式進行修改變動。

清朝勳章的誕生，是在第一次鴉片戰爭後，歐洲人開始湧入清朝，傳統的對外政策已無法符合當時的需求。即便設立專門處理對外事務的「總理各國事務衙門」，仍因為習俗禮儀等落差，造成各種摩擦與碰撞。在面對大量聘用於清朝的軍工、教育、經濟等行業的外國人，傳統對中國人的「頂戴花鈴」或者「傳旨嘉獎」等方式，無法讓外國人滿足。因此為了與西方制度接軌，於是創造了清朝勳章寶星制度。

在光緒34年（公元1908年）4月經外務部奏准「雙龍寶星」今後的頒發不再僅限外國人，同時也頒發給清朝外務官員以及出洋各史。外務部認為西方各國設立的勳章，主要目的是頒發給本國人，然而清朝卻完全相反。在涉及外交正式場合時，外國人往往會穿著禮服，並佩戴自己獲得的所有勳章，然而清朝的外交官員，常無法配戴本國的勳章，只能配戴外國的勳章，因有此改革。

由於此寶星發行年間為19世紀末，清朝外交活動相較於過去又更加的頻繁。因此光緒23年（公元1897年）發行的第二版雙龍寶星，不論是在製作、頒發和存世的數量非常的多，也是現代收藏中最常見雙龍寶星的版本。

兩個版本的雙龍寶星在等級、制度基本上沒有太大的差異，下表為光緒7年（公元1881年）寶星章程等級對應頒發對象：