Chinoiserie in the 18th Century: Four 18th Century Fans, the...

Lot Description:

Chinoiserie in the 18th Century: Four 18th Century Fans, the first being early and elaborately decorated, with gold foil shapes to the top border, and in three places extending down the leaf, with the addition of foil shells and other miscellaneous motifs. The leaf, divided into three panels, features figures in robes, a humped bridge, and buildings. Stylised foliage and trees are discretely highlighted with gold. The monture, with plain gorge, is piqué to both guards with the addition of Mother of Pearl in the form of a figure, a fish and a leaf, and thumb guards. The double paper leaf features finely painted flowers and leaves to the verso. Guard length approx. 11 inches or 28cm. Together with a slender early 18th fan with shaped lower monture, giving rise to interesting detail when the fan is closed and viewed from the side, the double paper leaf painted in subtle colours, showing a wealthy gentleman in robes and black hat, escorted by a servant shading him from the sun with an enormous parasol, suddenly encountering a monkey on a tree branch ahead. The verso is plain. Guard length approx. 10 inches or 25.5cm; a third ivory fan, the upper guard and lower gorge sections carved and shaped, the double paper leaf painted to the recto with delicate flowers and unusually figures wearing white robes. The verso is plain. Guard length approx. 11.25 inches or 28.5cm; and finally, a Chinese carved ivory fan with export monture, the guards designed in panels, the flowers and buildings minutely carved, the gorge pierced with a central shield containing entwined initials "M ?", intricate and elaborate carving of flowers and leaves climbing a minute lattice filling the remaining space. The double paper leaf, with cream ground, is designed with a central cartouche of a pagoda and walled garden near water, a figure at the bank greeting a passing boatman, mountains rising in the background. The reserves are filled with sprays of flowers and leaves in pastel colours. The verso is painted with larger floral sprays. Guard length approx. 11 inches or 28cm (4)

Condition Report:
. The first fan has damage to the leaf and possibly the right side shortened, crude restoration to split folds seen from the verso. The second example is in good general order. Fan 3 has extensive splitting to the leaf making it difficult to view the scene. The final fan has some damage to the leaf, the upper guard has broken, but the section is present, both still attached to leaf and rivet, and the lower guard has broken off at a similar point and lacks approx. 2.5 m of a plain lower section.