Magpie on Plum Blossom Mirror and Jewellery Box Gift Set

Folk tradition holds that to hear a magpie call is to know a happy event is near. The plum blossom opens as winter turns to spring, carrying the first news of the season, and is known by the lovely name of fragrant snow (香雪). A magpie on a plum branch (喜上梅栁) puns on joy rising to the brow (喜上眉栁), so that to open the box before the mirror is to meet with happiness, season after season. This piece is drawn from a Qing dynasty hardwood mirror box inlaid with jewels (硬木嵌珠宝镜盒) held in the Palace Museum, and is offered as a full gift set with a standing table mirror or as the mother-of-pearl jewellery box on its own.

Key Features

• Carries the magpie and plum blossom motif (喜上梅栁), a play on joy rising to the brow (喜上眉栁), an old emblem of happy tidings
• Magpies (喜鹊), long held as heralds of good news, perched among plum blossom (梅花), the flower that carries the first word of spring
• Drawn from a Qing hardwood jewel-inlaid mirror box in the Palace Museum
• The jewellery box worked in mother-of-pearl inlay (螺钿), an intangible cultural heritage craft in which natural shell is cut, engraved and set into the surface for a shifting, iridescent lustre
• A standing table mirror framed in raised gold relief of magpies, plum, bamboo and blossom, its angle adjustable on a metal pivot
• A plum-blossom clasp and butterfly-shaped hinges, a quiet wish for happiness and for two who fly wing to wing

Who This Is For

A considered gift for a wedding, an engagement or a new home, carrying the old blessing of joy on the brow. Equally a gift for a mother, a daughter, or a dear friend, and a lasting piece for anyone drawn to the flowering of the seasons. At home on a dressing table among one's most treasured things.

The Two Options

• Mirror and Jewellery Box Gift Set: the standing table mirror (approximately 15.7 × 22.7 × 9.8 cm) paired with the matching mother-of-pearl jewellery box (approximately 19.4 × 9.7 × 9.6 cm), presented together in a gift box with a carry bag
• Mother-of-Pearl Jewellery Box: the jewellery box on its own, approximately 19.4 × 9.7 × 9.6 cm

Materials & Details

• Table mirror: zinc alloy frame with a high-definition mirror
• Jewellery box: ABS body with natural mother-of-pearl inlay, copper-wire detailing and zinc alloy fittings
• Raised gold relief of magpies, plum blossom, bamboo and butterflies
• The gift set is presented in a gift box with a carry bag, approximately 32.6 × 27.5 × 14.1 cm
• Natural mother-of-pearl varies in tone and figure from piece to piece
• Measurements taken by hand and may vary slightly

A Note on Authenticity

Lower-priced copies of these mirrors circulate widely in the market. They can resemble ours in a photograph, yet they differ in the materials used, the quality of the enamel and plating, and the care taken in their finishing. Every Tang Heritage mirror is a genuine article, sourced and finished to the standard we stand behind, and its quality shows in the hand. We ask that you purchase only from Tang Heritage or our authorised channels, and that you exercise caution with listings priced well below ours, as they are unlikely to be the same piece.

Care

Keep away from hard or sharp objects to protect the surface design. Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth. The gold butterfly detailing on the mirror is applied to the surface, so wipe lightly and do not rub. Keep the mother-of-pearl away from water and damp. Store in its box when not in use.