Chinese Export School. Album of pith paintings (trades), Canton: Wing Tai Hing, 19th century

Sold for £2,100

Chinese Export School. Album of pith paintings depicting trades and professions, Canton: Wing Tai Hing, second half of the 19th century, 12 miniatures in watercolour and bodycolour on pith paper (20 x 31.6 cm) each on separate paper mount within blue paper border, printed caption in English to foot of each mount, 'Tea-box painters' chipped along edges and held loosely under border, 'Paper lantern painters' lifting and slightly chipped along fore edge and with short closed tear to lower inner corner, 'Black-Smiths' with minor chipping in image, 'Tailors' with small tear to lower outer corner, 'Shoe makers' border lifting, a few other areas of light disruption to pith paper not affecting painted images, a few marks, printed trade-label ('Wing Tai Hing, Rice-Paper-Picture Shop, in Wai Yuen Yik Street, Canton') to front pastedown, contemporary Chinese binding of patterned red silk binding over boards, silk with substantial fraying and loss, oblong folio (25 x 36 cm), housed in a contemporary Chinese blue silk portfolio with hand-painted decoration to front cover incorporating roses, fruit, golden pheasant and butterfly

(Qty: 1)

The paintings are captioned: Tea-box painters; Paper lantern painters; Jet-stone bangle grinders; Black-Smiths; Painters and Carpenters; Mat-makers; Bamboo-chair makers; Lacquer-box makers; Tailors; Shoe-Makers; Druggists and Doctors; Tin-Smiths.