Item number: X34

Year: AD 1906

Material: Silver, Wood

Size: 16 x 5 x 17 mm

Weight: 120 g

Provenance: Private Collector, Germany, 2026

This is a silver model of a patrol and interdiction vessel, possibly retailed by a dealer abbreviated as “LC” or “LW” and finished or processed by the workshop known as “Zhen Ji” (珍記). It may have been commissioned by sailors of the German gunboat Iltis, stationed at Qingdao at the time.

The form of the patrol vessel model closely resembles that of a small Fujian-type ship (Fuchuan), with a relatively sharp keel and a broader stern superstructure. The deck carries three masts; as in traditional Chinese sailing vessels, rigid awnings are supported by multiple bamboo spars. At the top of the central mast is a square flag bearing the letters “LC” or “LW” together with the Chinese characters “珍記”. Along the ship’s sides are six oars—four on the starboard side and two on the port—intended to supplement propulsion or effect minor changes of direction. On each side of the stern superstructure hang three rattan shields, while the stern itself is engraved with the characters “緝捕巡船” (patrol and interdiction vessel). Near the bow, five swivel guns of the folangji type are mounted on the deck, beside which two sailors stand, seemingly about to operate them. At the centre of the deck, close to the stern, is a square cabin with embrasure-like gun ports on both sides. The roof of this cabin is engraved with the inscription “Iltis”, “Vaterland”, “Weihnachten 1906”. “Iltis” refers to the lead ship of the Iltis-class gunboats of the German Empire, stationed at Qingdao. Its principal duties were the defence and patrol of Qingdao; it once approached Tianjin to support the suppression of the Boxer Uprising and also cruised the Yangtze River, conducting surveys along its course. In AD 1914, the vessel was scuttled by its own crew following a siege by Japanese forces. “Vaterland” means “fatherland”, while “Weihnachten 1906” may be translated as “Christmas 1906”, possibly indicating that the model was intended for use as a gift.

From the Ming and Qing periods onward, patrol vessels were primarily organised for riverine security. Their forms and equipment varied considerably. Externally, they supplemented coastal defence by preventing smuggling and stopping pirates from penetrating inland; internally, they facilitated the inspection of merchant and fishing vessels and helped prevent the unauthorised movement of personnel and goods. In the late Qing period, traditional craft powered by wind or human labour were gradually supplanted by steamships, then commonly referred to as “fire-wheelers”.

Traditional Chinese ship models, much like archaeological finds from ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, were largely associated with funerary practices as burial objects; the earliest examples are known from Western Han tombs in Guangzhou. From the twelfth century onwards, a “votive ship” tradition emerged in Western Europe, whereby ship models were dedicated in churches to pray for safety at sea. In southern Fujian, from the fifteenth century onward, the custom of the “royal ship” (wangchuan) gradually took shape, involving the veneration or burning of such vessels to dispel epidemics or seek blessings. Although no direct practical evidence survives, scholars have suggested that, prior to the establishment of standardised design drawings, the construction of large vessels may often have been preceded by the making of small-scale models, either for testing or for bureaucratic approval. By the eighteenth century, Britain’s success in maritime competition stimulated public interest in ships, leading to the development of a culture of ship-model collecting. With the opening of China’s treaty ports, this collecting culture crossed oceans. In AD 1904, for the purpose of exhibiting at the St. Louis World’s Fair in the United States, the Qing court produced a group of carved wooden models of traditional Chinese sailing vessels. In AD 1910, a silver steamship made by the Baoxia Silver Shop of Yangzhou won recognition at the Nanyang Industrial Exposition. In AD 1935, the Baohengxiang Gold Shop in Beiping likewise received an award for a silver-gilt ship.

As Qingdao developed relatively late, with defences established only in AD 1891 and Germany forcibly leasing the Jiaozhou Bay area in AD 1897, records of silver shops operating in Qingdao do not appear until AD 1914. Consequently, this model may have been commissioned while its purchaser was cruising elsewhere.

Judging from the flag stamp, dealers whose marks began with the letter “L” and who were active export merchants in AD 1906 include Shanghai firms such as Liang Tianxing (L.T.H.) and Lianxing (LH), as well as the Guangzhou firm Lianhe (LW). Among silver shops in both cities that may have used the mark “Zhen Ji” are Shanghai’s Pinzhen, and Guangzhou firms such as Jingzhen, Yuanzhen Gold Shop, and Zhang Lizhen. Of these, a Cantonese merchant based in Guangzhou or Shanghai appears more likely, since the use of Latin-letter stamps by Shanghai silver shops was comparatively uncommon.

物件編號: X34

年代: 公元 1906 年

材質: 銀, 木材

尺寸: 16 x 5 x 17 mm

重量: 120 g

來源: 德國私人收藏 2026

這是一艘緝捕巡船的銀質模型，可能為縮寫「LC」或「LW」的經銷商所售，由「珍記」商號所加工。可能為當時駐於青島的德國雞貂號炮艦海員所訂購。

緝捕巡船模型的船形形制接近小型福船，底部較尖，艉樓較寬廣。甲板上共有三支桅杆，如中國傳統帆船一般，以多根竹竿撐起硬性的蓬帳。中央桅杆頂部有方旗，上印「LC」或「LW」，以及漢字「珍記」。船舷兩側有六支槳櫓，右舷四支，左舷兩支，用以補充動力或小幅改變方向。艉樓兩側各掛著三面藤盾，船艉刻有「緝捕巡船」。接近船艏處的甲板上有五門佛朗機銃，兩名水兵站立一旁，似乎正要操作。甲板中央靠船艉有一方型船艙，兩側有類似女牆的銃眼。船艙上方頂蓋刻有「”Iltis” “Vaterland” Weihnachten 1906」。「Iltis」即為德意志帝國駐青島的雞貂級炮艦首艦，雞貂號。其主要任務為駐守及巡航青島，曾近抵天津以支援鎮壓義和團運動，亦曾巡航長江，沿途測繪。該艦於公元1914年因日軍圍攻而自行鑿沉。「Vaterland」意即「祖國」，「Weihnachten 1906」或譯為「1906年聖誕節」，可能表明該模型曾作為禮品而使用。

明清以來，巡船主要是作為內河巡防而編制。形制各異，裝備不一。對外作為海防的補充，防止走私，以及海盜直入內地。對內則便於查驗商船、漁船，防止出現未經允許的人員、物資流動。於晚清，以風力或人力為動力的傳統船隻，逐漸被時稱「火輪子」的蒸汽船所取代。

傳統中國船隻模型，多與古埃及、古希臘出土文物類似，以墓葬明器為主，最早出自廣州的西漢漢墓。十二世紀後，西歐開始有「奉獻船」文化，供奉船隻模型於教堂中，以祈求出海平安。中國閩南地區，則是在十五世紀後，逐漸形成王船習俗，供奉或點燃王船，以送瘟或祈福。而雖無實務證據，但據學者推測，在標準的設計圖制度出現前，大型船隻的製作，或多以先製造小型模型，以作測試或供予官僚批准。至十八世紀，由於英國於海權爭霸中取勝，激起國內公眾對於船隻的興趣，乃有船隻模型收藏文化的發展。後又因中國通商口岸的開放，而使船隻模型的收藏文化遠渡重洋。公元1904年，為參展美國聖路易萬國博覽會，清廷便曾製作一批傳統中式帆船的木雕船模，以供展覽。公元1910年，揚州寶霞銀樓所造的銀汽船，於南洋勸業會物品賽會上一舉得名。公元1935年，北平的寶恆祥金店，也以銀質鍍金船獲獎。

由於青島的發展較晚，於公元1891年始設防，公元1897年德國便強索膠州灣地區為租借地。至公元1914年，青島才有銀樓開業的紀錄。因此，該模型或當於巡航他地時所訂購。

依船旗戳記，以「L」為字首的經銷商，於公元1906年仍在活躍中的外銷商號，有上海的「梁天興」(L.T.H.)、「聯興」(LH)，廣州的「聯和」(LW)。而兩地的銀樓中，可能以「珍記」作為戳記者，有上海的「品珍」，廣州的「敬珍」、「元珍金鋪」、「張麗珍」等商號。其中以廣州或上海粵商可能性更大，因上海商號以拉丁字母戳記的情況較為罕見。