Collection PL

China 1880 — Sinkiang Textile Emergency Currency, Cloth Note (Pick Unlisted)

This textile emergency currency from Sinkiang belongs to the late Qing frontier monetary tradition, when regional authorities relied on locally produced substitutes in response to chronic shortages of official coin and paper money. Executed on coarse red-dyed cloth and printed by hand-carved woodblocks, the note reflects a monetary environment shaped by isolation, logistical constraints, and reliance on pre-modern administrative practices. The use of textile as a monetary substrate is not symbolic but functional. ... Read more →

China 1915 — South Sinkiang Border Defence Headquarters 1 Tael Textile Emergency Issue (Pick Unlisted)

This 1 tael textile banknote represents a formally authorized military emergency issue produced in 1915 by the South Sinkiang Border Defence Headquarters during a period of severe administrative and monetary fragmentation in western China. Issued within the southern frontier zone encompassing Khotan, Yarkand, and Karghalik, the note reflects a localized system of fiscal control exercised by military authorities operating with substantial autonomy from central government structures. The banknote is printed on hand-woven textile rather than paper, a deliberate and practical choice dictated by frontier conditions. ... Read more →

China 1918 — Xinjiang Textile Emergency Currency Printed on Red Cloth, Local Authority Issue (Pick Unlisted)

An issued textile emergency currency produced in Xinjiang (Sinkiang) during the early Republican period, printed by hand from carved woodblocks onto red-dyed cotton cloth. This note represents a locally authorized substitute currency created for circulation under conditions of monetary instability, material shortage, and fragmented administrative control in China’s western frontier. The design is printed directly onto fabric in dark ink, with the textile weave clearly visible through the impression. ... Read more →

China 1920 — Xinjiang Textile Emergency Currency Printed on Red Cloth, Local Authority Issue (Pick Unlisted)

An issued textile emergency currency produced in Xinjiang (Sinkiang) in the early Republican period, printed by hand from woodblock onto coarse red-dyed cotton cloth. This note forms part of the broader tradition of frontier textile currency developed in western China under conditions of monetary instability, material shortage, and decentralized administrative control. The design is executed in dark ink directly on fabric, with the weave of the cloth clearly visible through the printed impression. ... Read more →

China 1921 — Xinjiang Textile Emergency Currency Printed on Red Cloth with Sun Emblem (Pick Unlisted)

An issued textile emergency currency produced in Xinjiang (Sinkiang) during the early Republican period, printed by hand from carved woodblocks onto red-dyed cotton cloth. This note represents a distinct local issue within the Xinjiang textile tradition, created for circulation under conditions of monetary instability, limited access to paper currency, and decentralized administrative control in China’s western frontier. The design is printed directly onto coarse textile in dark ink, with the weave of the fabric clearly visible through the impression. ... Read more →

China 1922 — Xinjiang Textile Emergency Currency Printed on Red Cloth, Local Authority Issue (Pick Unlisted)

An issued textile emergency currency produced in Xinjiang (Sinkiang) during the early Republican period and printed by hand from carved woodblocks onto coarse red-dyed cotton cloth. This note represents a locally authorized substitute currency created for circulation under conditions of monetary disruption, limited access to paper stock, and fragmented administrative control in China’s western frontier. The design is executed directly onto fabric in dark ink, with the textile weave clearly visible through the printed impression. ... Read more →