Form and Magic

These were found in the auction catalog from an estate sale of an international banker that worked in China and Australia. His wife was an antique textile dealer in Hong Kong who worked with China's top textile dealer Teresa Coleman

These textile collars are sometimes called tiger collars, protective collars, or longevity collars, depending on the region and the collector describing them. They were especially common from the late Qing period into the early 20th century.

They were magical objects as much as clothing

In traditional Chinese folk belief, children were considered spiritually vulnerable until they reached a certain age. Clothing itself could act as a talisman, so garments were often embroidered with protective imagery.

The collar would be tied around the child's neck over ordinary clothing and was believed to:

• repel evil spirits,

• guard against illness,

• attract blessings and longevity,

• and sometimes symbolically "transform" the child into a fierce animal that demons would avoid.

I’ve been captivated by these beautifully embroidered Chinese children’s collars, small textile treasures created not only as adornment but as protective talismans filled with wishes for health, strength, and long life. Looking through museum collections has been a wonderful way to discover more examples and the incredible variety of regional embroidery traditions. The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum’s online collection of these collars is a beautiful place to explore more of these remarkable pieces.