A Shoe Sycee in Late Ming Pattern

Stephen Tai
Sep, 9, 1998

Inscription:

Zhan Tian
Dimensions: 48(L) x 32(W) mm x 27(H)
Weight: 150 g (4 Taels)

This is a 4 tael sycee in typical shoe shape as of late Ming period. It has a small but evident waist, and the edge lower than the average Ch'ing's shoe sycee.
It deeply inscribed with two Chinese characters: (Zhan Tian), whose meaning unknown, could be the name of silver shop or silversmith who made this sycee. It is also possible that it is name of owner who instructed to cast it; silversmiths at that time when casting sycee for their clients sometimes inscribed client's name on the sycee per their requests, this custom can be seen from many novels written in late Ming till early Ch'ing Dynasty. However, no matter whose name the inscription stands for, this sycee apparently was a private sycee.
For the average people at that time, this 4 tael sycee would mean a big fortune, for it was about one whole month's salary of a lower ranking official in the Ming's Empire.