Japan: A Bone Fan with double paper leaf, the recto...

Lot Description:

Japan: A Bone Fan with double paper leaf, the recto painted with a spray of pastel blooms in full flower, two birds in flight approaching. The verso, in similar vein, shows pastel flowers of more delicate and linear species. The upper guard is decorated with unusual features, two lacquered flower-heads beneath two linear and quite Art Nouveau designs, above which an oval, or eye, has a red stone for the centre. Together with A Fan in Jenny Lind or Palmette Form, vibrantly coloured paper or card panels, in strong yellow and orange, featuring centrally a blue bird on a bough, other foliage scattered on other panels. The monture, wood and painted in dark brown, has some colourful scattered painted blooms. The verso, with no decoration to the monture has basic scrolling to one side of each panel; A Large Paper Fan with double leaf, in red, mounted on simple wood, painted to the recto with extravagant blooms and simple foliage, a blue and pink bird in flight amidst. The recto, in similar vein, has one blousy flower and a few more delicate examples; finally, Another Fan in strong red, the wood monture painted, the leaf of paper, one side with bands of design the largest being floral, the recto showing two cranes in flight over a rocky outcrop. (4)

Condition Report:
. The first fan lacks the upper part of one guard, and the leaf folds are rubbed. Rubbing to the paint on the JL fan.