A CANTON PAINTED AND CARVED IVORY FAN QING DYNASTY, CIRCA 1850

the guards and sticks carved and pierced with figures amongst tiered pavilions in a landscape with trees, the fan leaf painted recto with a view of the Hongs of Canton, the verso with a landscape of villages with exotic animals, fitted in a lacquer box decorated with floral sprays in gilt labelled AYUN

The condition of this fan is generally good, but there is minor repair to the paper, where it meets the ivory sticks to the right hand side of the reverse (to the end two sticks). There is also a slight repair/minor tear to the same area on the fifth stick to the left on the reverse. There is a 2cm virtical tear to the paper between the fifth and fourth stick and another 2cm tear between the third and second stick from the right of the obverse and a minor 1.5cm horizontal tear to the paper to the lower section of the obverse between the fifth and sixth stick and there are some areas of the brown border paper missing to the top of the fan to the obverse and reverse. There is a small (1mm by 1mm) hole to seventh ivory stick from the left to the obverse and a small area of minor damage to ninth, twelfth and thirteen stick. There is some damage to the paper and silk lining of the box and various areas to the lacquer to its exterior.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The hongs were major business houses in Canton which served as residences, trading headquarters and warehouses for the western merchants and thus had significant influence on the economy of the region. This fan can be dated to circa 1850 as a great fire in 1856 destroyed the entire complex of foreign buildings after which they were rebuilt in a new style. Further fans painted with the hongs of Canton are held in the Peabody Essex Museum collection, of which an ivory-mounted example is illustrated in Carl Crossman, The Decorative Arts of the China Trade, Suffolk, 1991, col. pl. 118 (bottom), together with another mounted on sandalwood sticks, but depicting the scene in a panel and flanked by painted flowers, col. pl. 117.