Chinese documentary ivory and rice paper fan, early 19th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 19th century
This Chinese documentary fan dates to the early 19th century Qing Dynasty and serves as a historical record of the Pearl River trading ports. The fan is constructed with delicately carved and pierced ivory sticks and guards, which provide a structurally intricate frame for the leaf.
The leaf itself is crafted from rice paper and adorned with hand-painted illustrations in lacquer colours. The artwork features a detailed scene of the 'Canton Warehouses' or 'Hongs', the trading offices that served as vital collection points for porcelain and various goods from the Chinese hinterland. The scene depicts the area as it appeared before the significant fire of 1822, showcasing multiple national flags flying above their respective trading houses along the waterfront.
The fan measures 29 cm in length when closed, with an open span of 49 cm. It exhibits a blend of functional design and artistic narrative, characteristic of export items commissioned during the era of international maritime trade between 1757 and 1842.
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
- Span
- 49 cm
- Material
- ivory and rice paper
- Stick length
- 29 cm
Design
- Motif
- The Canton Warehouses or Hongs on the Pearl River
- Decoration
- intricately carved and pierced sticks and guards, lacquer painted leaf
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.