An antique Chinese watercolour on silk of a bird, probably 19th century, the white feathered bird perched upon a peony branch, signed with four red seal marks and inscribed with black calligraphy, lined black border, 25? x 16 3/8in. (64.75 x 41.5cm.), in a modern giltwood frame with bevelled mount.
, *Condition: Colours bright. Some sooty dirty marks and small scuffs visible to silk and it has been rolled at some time - it is a little cockled and there are some small vertical crease marks and some light horizontal crease marks to the centre areas from that rolling. A line of spot spill marks visible at a diagonal across the upper third of the painting - there are signs that an attempt has been made to restore these at some time, leaving feint, slightly darker-than-background marks around the spot marks. Two small patches of damage to the surface of the silk at lower centre right margin and a few dirty marks to silk at lower right corner.