A PAPER FAN WITH IVORY MOUNTS, BY YU SHUO THE IVORY MOUNTS, LATE 19TH / EARLY 20TH CENTURY

one of the ivory mounts decorated with a river landscape, depicting pavilions nestled amidst trees in the foreground and a fisherman on a boat in the river with mountains in the distance, all below an inscription,  the second mount finely incised with a long inscription filled-in in black ink or lacquer, signed Xiaoxuan Yushou the fan painted with a mountainous landscape on one side and an inscription on the reverse

Hugh M. Moss Ltd., London, 1972.
Collection of David Price, New York, 1989.

The ivory mounts are in very good condition. The ivory has only slightly yellowed with age. The fan shows light wear due to being opened and closed.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The ivory mounts are the work of the famous late Qing ivory carver Yu Shuo. Yu  (b. 1873 – d. after 1940), of Jiangdu, Jiangsu province, was especially skilled in the art of miniature carving on ivory. It is said that he was able to carve over forty lines of characters on a fan stick. For examples of Yu's work see a small ivory panel depicting figures in a landscape illustrated in Simon Kwan, Chinese Ivories from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong, 1990, pl. 143, together with a cigarette holder pl. 200; and a miniature ivory plaque carved by Yu when he was 63 years of age, from the collection of Mary and George Bloch, sold in these rooms, 23^rd October 2005, lot 48. A further example of his work, a plaque depicting a seated Buddha, is published in The Palace Museum Collection of Elite Carvings, Beijing, 2002, pl. 176.