A Set of Eight 19th Century Chinese Watercolor Paintings on Pith Paper Depicting Exotic Birds

the modern carved giltwood and painted frames inset with slips of verre eglomisé and cartouches painted with butterflies and flowers.

Overall the pictures in very good condition with fresh colors; modern frames with minor losses at the edges.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

These highly colored depictions of exotic birds were almost certainly originally part of a much larger group bound in silk-covered boards which were produced in large numbers in the port of Canton, China during the second and third quarters of the 19^th century. Made primarily for the export trade, they are mostly the work of anonymous artists, a description of Lam Qua's studio in the 1840s noting that 'Here.... are painted those little silk covered albums which are sent to England and the United States and even to France and contain representations of animals, flowers, landscapes... etc.' (see: Carl Crossman, The Decorative Arts of the China Trade, 1991, p. 200)