Pair of silk lotus shoes of exceptional quality embroidered in gold thread and very fine Peking stitch with a peach (Longevity) and coins (Wealth). Also depicted are a gourd and a butterfly which together symbolize ‘Numerous descendants’. Gold thread embroidery is a sign of quality and these shoes are a good example. Look, for instance, at the soles which count hundreds of fine stitches. The shoes are still in very good condition and date from the late Qing period (1644 – 1912). Length 12.5 cm. Width 5 cm. Height 7 cm.