Chinese Civilian Rank Badge Set, Circa 19th C. Silk and metallic thread embroidery on silk ground. Size each: 11'' x 12'' (28 x 30 cm). This set comprises two identical badges, with one intended for placement on the back of the official's coat and the other for the front. The front badge was divided into two parts to accommodate both sides of the coat's front opening. The birds are meticulously crafted using satin-stitched silk, while metallic threads are expertly applied using a couching technique.These rank badges served the crucial purpose of identifying an individual's governmental position when worn on surcoats. Their unique design, featuring two halves, allowed them to be affixed to either side of a front-opening coat. Additionally, wives and children proudly displayed the rank badge of their father or husband, reflecting their familial connection to the official.Different animals were chosen to represent various ranks, and the positioning of these animals often conveyed whether the badge was intended for a man or a woman. In this particular set, we observe the badges of a civilian official of the ninth rank. The left-facing paradise flycatcher is gracefully perched on a rocky outcrop within a celestial landscape adorned with serene waters and expansive skies, adorned with intricate cloud bands, auspicious symbols, and a radiant solar disk. The distinguishing feature of this bird as a paradise flycatcher lies in its distinctive tail, characterized by two elongated feathers that taper towards their tips, wider at the base than at the end. Each tail feather should also feature a single dot, though these may be challenging to discern due to fading over time.

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