A KINGFISHER FEATHER HEADDRESS DESIGNED AS A BLOOMING PEONY 清代 紙胎點翠牡丹頭飾 China, Qing dynasty L: 19cm Tian-tsui點翠 Tian-tsui is a style of Chinese art that prominently features kingfisher feathers. Kingfisher birds, also known as Jade birds or jadeite birds in China are renowned for their emerald-coloured feathers. For over 2,000 years, the Chinese have utilized the iridescent blue feathers of kingfisher birds as inlays for fine art objects and adornments, ranging from hairpins, headdresses, and fans to panels and screens. It is an incredibly time consuming and skilled process to cut and glue the feathers onto the silver gilt mounts. Feathers of blue-green and snow-blue jade birds are considered superior for this task. It is documented that 100,000 jade birds were used in the restoration of the phoenix crown worn by the queen of the Ming Dynasty. Despite lacking the dazzling brilliance of gemstones, ornaments made of jadeite feathers possess a unique beauty characterized by simplicity and richness. Even during the Qing Dynasty, jadeite ornaments were highly valued, with some fetching prices in the tens of thousands. The kingfisher ornaments in this sale all come from a single private collection in Italy and reflect the attention to detail, exquisite craftsmanship, and inherent beauty that characterise Tian-tsui.