Tennants Auctioneers
Lot 2039
A Rare and Very Early Chinese Ivory Fan, the guards painted in the Imari porcelain style, the gorge sticks simply carved and pierced. The double paper leaf is painted in strong shades of red, blue and green with a central depiction of a European couple amongst flowers and foliage, the gentleman offering a drink to his lady whilst holding her hand, a small dog in the background. The verso presents a mirror image. Most unusually the leaf is cut out at intervals in order to insert panels of mica. The very tip of the head is squared off and shaped. Guard length 7.5 inches or 19cm Provenance: The Collection of Colin Lawton Johnson. Sold at Christie's SK on May 22nd 1996, lot 171, where it was described as a ''rare miniature mica fan ''and estimated at ''1000.00 to £2000.00 and achieving £2600 hammer. See also page 83 of ''Fans'' by Nancy Armstrong, where the fan is described as late 17th century or early 18th century.. Generally good, the monture appears sound, the bottom edge of the leaf seen from the verso is slightly faded, and all folds are slightly rubbed.
