Antique Chinese ivory brise fan with export scenes
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1820
This antique Chinese brise fan is a finely crafted export piece, designed specifically for the European market during the early 19th century. Unlike folding fans with a solid leaf, this brise fan is composed entirely of individual sticks that are held together by a silk cord.
The fan features intricately carved ivory blades and matching ivory guards, showcasing detailed relief scenes of traditional Chinese landscape motifs and daily life.The fan is currently preserved within a shadowbox frame. It measures approximately 12 1/2 inches in width and 7 1/4 inches in height. Provenance records indicate the object was brought from China in 1820. The construction demonstrates the meticulous craftsmanship of Chinese artisans who produced custom items for Western clients through trade companies.
It remains an excellent example of export art, representing the cultural exchange between China and Europe.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- ivory, silk
- Dimensions
- fan 12 1/2" width x 7 1/4" height, shadowbox 15 1/2" x 12 1/4"
Technical characteristics
- Type
- brise fan
Design
- Motifs
- Chinese landscape scenes, figures of Chinese life
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.