CHINESE EXPORT SILVER SALVER

An octagonal  Chinese Export silver  salver.

The repousse worked border has alternate panels of plum blossom with birds ( for new beginnings )  bamboo with birds ( for resilience) , peonies for happiness and wealth and sea creatures ( symbolising just about everything else!)

The plate of the salver  has eight engraved segments radiating from  a round centre reserve.

Each segment tells a different story

My favourite is the snake and the frog  but there are cranes ( that mate for life ) and seers contemplating under the pine trees.  One segment seems specially for a gardener

The craftsman did the most amazing  job