A rare Chinese Imperial golden-yellow 'Dragon' robe made for a consort to the Emperor, Jifu, Qing Dynasty, early 19th century, in rich satin stich embroidery and finely couched with nine gold five-clawed dragons including one gold dragon hidden by the over-flap, with flaming pearls all amongst dense ruyi-shaped clouds, with the side facing dragons clasping the pearl of wisdom, the golden-yellow ground is interspersed with several coral coloured bats amongst shaded clouds, all above a fine rich lishui water and wave design finely detailed with the eight auspicious emblems, the robe with correct side vents for a female robe, borders and cuffs and neck brocade embroidered with the classic dragon pattern on a midnight-blue ground, with original blue damask silk lining with a peony and butterfly design, 178cm cuff to cuff an 148cm collar to hem See Linda Wrigglesworth and Gary Dickinson, Imperial Wardrobe, page 23, plate 12, for a painted book plate referencing the 1759 regulations and also page 192 where it is stated that the extra dragon band at the elbow was not present on robes that were not for the first rank consort. Hence this yellow may be seen as golden-yellow for a second or third rank consort. See the rank table on same page. Female yellow robes did not display the 12 symbols until later in the 19th century. Compare with a Manchu woman's robe in, Robert D. Jacobsen, Imperial Silks in the Minneapolis Museum Institute of Arts, Vol 1, p. 138-139 Provenance: From a Family collection where it has been for at least 100 years清道光 罕见御制黄地彩云金龙纹女吉服袍拍品来源：英国私人家族收藏

some of the wire threads loose and wearsome staining throughout especially on the under flapcollar with some ear and button loops broken pocket to the side later added and re-tailored in the Westblue damask lining with stains and fading and with small hole to liningCoral dye from the robe has bleed into the yellow extenders and various areas on the robe indicating it was stored in a damp environment as it must have been wet or damp at some point with the sleeve lying on the needlework but now stablethe extra dragon band at the elbow were only present on robes that were worn by the first degree consort. If they are not missing then it could be for a 2 or 3 rd rank golden yellow dragon robe. If they are missing then it's a 1st rank yellow dragon robe