Cantonese Opera Flag Holder Item Number: N1.840 a from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Holder is green-blue and rectangular with black features and two long white ties. The holder flares out at the top and is made of leather covered with green-blue fabric. The features are adhered to the fabric in the shape of a Fu dog face. There is a wide pink mouth with white teeth, a large white nose, round white eyes with green pupils and pointed white eyebrows. The wrinkled forehead and other facial features are black. The white ties are threaded through the inside of the holder and knotted on the outside front in the lower corners. The back of the holder is covered in white cotton with black characters down the centre.
History Of Use
Cantonese opera accessory, worn on back with armour.
Cultural Context
theatre
Iconographic Meaning
Flags and their holders represent high-ranking martial characters.
Specific Techniques
All stitching was done by hand. Ties appear to be machine woven. Details of animal face were pasted onto base fabric.
Narrative
A large group of Cantonese opera costumes, musical instruments, props, trunks, and stage fittings was left with the Jin Wah Sing Musical Association, apparently by some of the many itinerant troupes visiting Vancouver to perform in the Chinatown theatres in the pre World War II period. There is no certain knowledge of why these materials were not taken back to China by them. They were used by the Jin Wah Sing Musical Association in their performances until they became too dated. The association continued to preserve them carefully, storing them in their headquarters and in the basement of the Chinese Freemasons building until several groups of materials were sold and donated to the Museum of Anthropology.
Item History
- Made by Gam San Gung Si (Manufacturer) in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China ? during 1930
- Collected in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Jin Wah Sing Musical Association before August 28, 1973
- Received from Barrett Montford Endowment Fund (Funding source), Jin Wah Sing Musical Association (Seller), Leon & Thea Koerner Foundation (Funding source), Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source), Mah Society of North America (Funding source), Canada-China Friendship Association (Funding source), Quon H. Wong Agencies (Funding source) and Edith Low-Beer (Funding source) on August 28, 1973
What
- Name
- Cantonese Opera Flag Holder
- Identification Number
- N1.840 a
- Type of Item
- holder
- Material
- leather skin ?, paper ?, paste adhesive, cotton fibre, silk fibre ?, rayon fibre ? and dye
- Manufacturing Technique
- tanned ?, cut, sewn, spun, woven and pasted
- Overall
- height 2.5 cm, width 25.5 cm, depth 28.5 cm
Who
- Culture
- Chinese: Cantonese
- Creator
- Gam San Gung Si (Manufacturer)
- Previous Owner
- Jin Wah Sing Musical Association
- Received from
- Barrett Montford Endowment Fund (Funding source), Jin Wah Sing Musical Association (Seller), Leon & Thea Koerner Foundation (Funding source), Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source), Mah Society of North America (Funding source), Canada-China Friendship Association (Funding source), Quon H. Wong Agencies (Funding source) and Edith Low-Beer (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Guangzhou, Guangdong, China ?
- Collected in
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- during 1930
- Ownership Date
- before August 28, 1973
- Acquisition Date
- on August 28, 1973
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0248/0225 a