A KINGFISHER FEATHER AND HARDSTONE SCREEN QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

composed with a pair of long-tailed pheasants perched upon a green rock, accompanied by two other smaller birds and a flying bat, beneath a tree bearing peaches and pomegranates, with peonies, roses and chrysanthemums growing on the ground, the flower petals made of coral, white jade, and quartz, the fruit made of amber and smokey quartz, the feathers of the birds, leaves, tree trunks, and rocks all made from bird feathers, including the bright turquoise kingfisher feathers with semi-precious inlays for the centre of the flowers, all set in a carved zitan frame mounted on a black cloth ground and behind glass 

Sotheby's Hong Kong, 27^th October 1992, lot 269.

There is expected loss to the feathers, some of the petals of the flowers have fallen off. The eye of one of the birds has been replaced by paper. One coral flower has fallen off and is lying on the interior of the frame. But the overall condition is still quite good.
"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."

Exquisite furnishings of this type were favoured by the gentry and this screen is notable for its extensive use of the precious kingfisher feather to recreate a scene after bird paintings. The opulence of the scene is heightened by the inclusion of kingfisher feathers, which was an expensive and labour-intensive medium. For related screens depicting birds amongst branches against a black velvet ground, see one sold at Christie's New York, 20^th March 1997, lot 217; and a pair sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27^th April 1997, lot 557. A much larger example is pictured in situ in Chang Chun Gong (Palace of Eternal Spring), illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 259.

The technique of inlaying feathers is called dian cui, meaning 'dotting the kingfishers', whereby the feather is cut into shape and adhered to the base. The intense blue colour of the feathers comes not from pigments in the feather itself but in the way light is bent back and reflected back to the eye. The most expensive and highest quality  works traditionally used feathers imported from Cambodia and it is said that Chinese imperial demand for the kingfisher feathers may have contributed to the wealth of the Khmer Empire.