About Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®
Independent British Fine Art & Antiques Dealers | Historic Paintings, Portraiture, Sporting Art & Decorative Arts
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® is an independent, family-run British fine art and antiques dealership and online gallery, incorporated in England and Wales on 22 April 2024 under company registration number 15666518.
Led by directors Michael and Victoria, the company specialises in carefully selected British and European paintings, sculpture and decorative arts, serving private collectors, galleries, interior designers, art consultants and institutional buyers throughout the United Kingdom and internationally.
With our registered office in Covent Garden, London, and trading operations based in Cheshire, we combine historical research, considered attribution, detailed condition reporting and professional customer service.
Our approach emphasises artistic quality, historical significance, transparency and the preservation of original works of art.
Professional Memberships, Industry Affiliations & Recognition
Fine Art Trade Guild – Elected Member
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® is an elected member of the Fine Art Trade Guild, a recognised professional organisation supporting standards, integrity and responsible practice within the fine art and framing industries.
Our membership reflects our commitment to professional conduct, ethical trading and the accurate presentation of original works of art.
The House Directory – Select Member
We are a Select Member of The House Directory, a specialist British directory connecting interior designers, architects, private clients and design professionals with established suppliers and specialist businesses.
Our published profile highlights our expertise in British and European fine art, historic portraiture, sporting paintings, sculpture and decorative antiques.
https://www.thehousedirectory.com/company/cheshire-antiques-consultant-ltd/
HMRC – Registered Art Market Participant
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® is registered with HM Revenue & Customs as an Art Market Participant under registration number XRML00000211615.
We maintain appropriate anti-money laundering and financial sanctions compliance procedures in accordance with applicable United Kingdom legislation.
Registered United Kingdom Trade Mark
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® is a registered United Kingdom trade mark under registration number UK00004303420.
Private Online Gallery
Private Virtual Viewings by Appointment
We operate exclusively online and do not maintain a public showroom.
Private one-to-one virtual viewings are available by appointment, allowing prospective purchasers to examine artworks remotely and discuss condition, dimensions, attribution, provenance and historical context.
High-resolution photographs, additional images and detailed condition information are available upon request.
We aim to provide collectors with the information necessary to make informed purchasing decisions.
Areas of Specialisation
Fine Art & Works of Art | 17th–21st Century
Our principal specialisms include:
- British and European oil paintings, watercolours and mixed-media works
- Historic portraiture and figurative paintings
- Marine, naval and maritime subjects
- Equestrian, hunting and sporting paintings
- Animal paintings and rural subjects
- Landscapes, coastal views and cityscapes
- Still life, interiors and genre compositions
- Military and historical subjects
- Sculpture and three-dimensional works
Our catalogue includes works by identified artists, attributed paintings, historical schools and carefully researched unsigned compositions.
Each artwork is selected with consideration for artistic quality, condition, historical interest, provenance where established, and decorative merit.
Antiques & Decorative Arts
Our wider collection may include:
- Bronze and other sculpture
- Hallmarked silver and decorative metalwork
- Antique carved objects
- Porcelain, glassware and ceramics
- Decorative wall art
- Garden and architectural antiques
- Collectible decorative objects dating principally from the 18th to 20th century
Our inventory is continually evolving, with pieces selected for their craftsmanship, individuality and suitability for traditional and contemporary interiors.
Sustainability & Enduring Craftsmanship
We actively support sustainability within the fine art and antiques trade through the preservation, continued appreciation and responsible reuse of historic works of art and decorative objects.
By extending the useful life of existing pieces, the antiques trade can help reduce demand for newly manufactured decorative goods while preserving traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage.
Historic paintings, sculpture and period furnishings bring individuality, character and enduring aesthetic value to both traditional and contemporary interiors.
Payments & Purchasing
Purchases are arranged in accordance with the applicable LoveAntiques purchasing arrangements and our company Terms & Conditions.
We accept secure online card payments, PayPal, Klarna, Apple Pay and Google Pay, where available, for transactions up to £5,000.
Transactions exceeding £5,000 are payable by bank transfer.
Proforma invoices containing our company payment details are available upon request.
Cash on collection may be accepted by prior written arrangement, subject to a maximum of £8,000 and applicable legal and anti-money laundering requirements.
All transactions remain subject to availability, applicable payment requirements and relevant consumer protection legislation.
Shipping & Delivery
UK and worldwide shipping is available.
Delivery quotations are provided upon request, taking into account the artwork's dimensions, value, destination and specialist handling requirements.
Artworks are carefully and professionally packaged using appropriate protective materials.
We use established tracked courier services, including DHL, FedEx, DPD and Parcelforce, together with specialist fine art transport providers where appropriate.
Insured delivery services are arranged where available, subject to the applicable insurance terms, exclusions and coverage.
Larger paintings, antique furniture and particularly fragile objects may require specialist door-to-door transportation.
Customs & International Orders
International orders are generally supplied on a Delivered at Place (DAP) basis unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Under DAP arrangements, international purchasers are responsible for applicable import duties, import VAT, customs clearance charges and other destination-country taxes or fees.
Following the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, EU customers may be subject to additional import procedures and charges.
Purchasers in the European Union, United States and other international destinations are encouraged to consult their local customs authorities before purchasing.
Where a shipment is refused or returned because of unpaid customs charges, any refund and associated shipping costs will be handled in accordance with the agreed sale terms and applicable consumer protection legislation.
Attribution, Provenance & Condition
All artworks, antiques and decorative objects offered by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® are individually selected and catalogued in good faith using the research, documentation and information available at the time of cataloguing.
Artist attributions, dating, provenance, historical interpretations and related catalogue commentary represent our professional dealer opinion unless expressly identified as established facts supported by documentary evidence.
As many works are antique or previously owned, they may exhibit age-related wear, historic restoration, surface irregularities or other characteristics consistent with their age and history.
Known material condition issues are disclosed in the relevant catalogue descriptions or condition reports.
Prospective purchasers are welcome to request additional photographs, condition information, provenance details or a private virtual viewing before completing a purchase.
Our catalogue research and descriptions do not constitute a formal valuation, independent authentication certificate, investment recommendation or professional appraisal service.
Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution
Original artworks are supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.
The certificate records the relevant catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated and details of the sale, providing an accompanying document for the artwork's ongoing ownership and provenance record.
The certificate represents our professional dealer attribution and does not constitute independent authentication or a guarantee of future market value.
Returns, Consumer Rights & Important Information
All items remain subject to prior sale and availability.
Purchases are governed by our applicable Terms & Conditions and Returns Policy, together with any applicable LoveAntiques marketplace terms.
Where statutory distance-selling cancellation rights apply, customers are entitled to exercise those rights in accordance with applicable consumer protection legislation.
Nothing in our catalogue descriptions, attribution statements or terms excludes or restricts statutory consumer rights.
Company Information
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®
Registered Office:
71–75 Shelton Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2H 9JQ
United Kingdom
Trading Operations:
Mickle Trafford
Chester
Cheshire
United Kingdom
Please note: We operate exclusively online. We do not maintain a public showroom or offer customer visits at either address.
Company Registration Number: 15666518
Date of Incorporation: 22 April 2024
Registered in England and Wales
VAT Registration Number: GB 466128775
HMRC Art Market Participant Registration: XRML00000211615
Registered UK Trade Mark: UK00004303420
Professional Membership: Fine Art Trade Guild – Elected Member
Industry Directory: The House Directory – Select Member
Website: https://cheshireantiquesconsultantltd.com/
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® – Independent British Fine Art & Antiques Dealers.

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Colonial Painting –inbound Junk Ship Mouth of the Pearl River, Hong Kong C1914
REF: LA554040
£3,980
€4,771
$5,327
Secure Payments By
LoveAntiques Dealersince Mar 2017557 sales by dealerFree Delivery
LoveAntiques Dealersince Mar 2017557 sales by dealerFree Delivery
Description
Historical Colonial Marine Painting – Inbound Junk at the Mouth of the Pearl River, Hong Kong, 1914
Attributed to the Ah Hee Studio / Circle of Ah Hee (Hong Kong School, c.1895–1925)
(Please note: we also have the companion painting, “Outbound Junk”, available as a separate listing. If you wish to purchase both together, please get in touch.)
Subject & Medium
A powerful southern Chinese three-masted junk drives under full sail towards Hong Kong at the mouth of the Pearl River, her red hull punching through a lively swell beneath a high, hazy South China sky.
Medium: Gouache on paper, dated 1914.
Composition & Technique
The artist centres the composition on a classic Pearl River Delta trading junk: broad-beamed, high-sterned and notably seaworthy. Her distinctive battened lug sails are shown fully set, each panel carefully shaded to convey the tension of wind and canvas. The stepped masts, long projecting bow and high poop deck are all typical of the southern coastal trading type, constructed to carry heavy cargo between the river ports and Hong Kong while remaining agile in shifting monsoon conditions.
The junk’s red-painted hull – a colour associated both with anti-fouling treatments and auspicious fortune – stands out brilliantly against the green-grey water. Rows of ports and hatches, the sweep of the steering gear and the bustle of crew on deck are rendered with meticulous care, presenting the vessel not as a generic “Chinese boat” but as a specific working ship.
The choppy, green-tinged sea is animated with quick strokes of opaque white, giving a convincing sense of spray and forward motion. In the distance, low misted hills dissolve into a pale horizon, capturing the humid luminosity of the South China Sea and locating the junk precisely at the mouth of the Pearl River. The technique combines a calligraphic handling of water and sky, drawn from Chinese tradition, with Western-style maritime draughtsmanship – a hallmark of Hong Kong export ship portraits.
Signature
Along the lower edge, the work is fully inscribed in English: “A. Hean” at lower left, “Mouth of the Pearl River” at the centre, and “Hong Kong” at lower right. These inscriptions fix the work’s exact setting and follow the conventions seen on comparable Hong Kong School ship portraits of the period.
About the Artist & Attribution
The painting is attributed to the Ah Hee Studio / Circle of Ah Hee, active in Hong Kong from around 1895 to 1925 and regarded as an important successor to the great Canton workshops of Tingqua and Sunqua. Ah Hee and his associates specialised in harbour views and ship portraits in gouache, painted for Western merchants and naval officers who wished to record the vessels and ports of their service in the Far East.
The present work, signed “A. Hean”, displays all the hallmarks of that atelier: precise rigging, a sensitive yet accurate handling of the junk’s distinctive hull and sail plan, and the familiar English inscription format. Painted in 1914, when steamships dominated long-distance trade but traditional junks still carried cargo throughout the Pearl River Delta, it belongs firmly to the final phase of the China Trade painting tradition.
About the Frame
The painting is preserved in its fitting Hong Kong faux-bamboo gilt-wood frame with ochre-gold bevelled mount – a quintessential export presentation. The frame, finished to imitate bamboo, reflects a fashionable style favoured by the better Queen’s Road Central shops between 1905 and 1915.
The gold card mount has a pressed bronze-powder surface that has mellowed gently over time. On the reverse, a photograph of the original graphite framer’s annotation is attached, reading:
“2/6 each cut mounts / Oak and a slip / 9 Jul 1914 / 14 + 11 in / To be sent before 6 o’clock.”
This charming note ties the framing securely to Hong Kong on 9 July 1914, the day the work was prepared for export, probably by one of the leading houses such as Lane Crawford & Co. or A.S. Watson & Co. For modern conservation, the picture has been discreetly re-glazed with AR70 museum-grade UV-filtering glass, preserving the historic frame and mount while providing excellent protection and clarity.
Dimensions (Framed)
Width: 42 cm
Height: 35.5 cm
Depth: 2 cm
A highly manageable, elegant size that sits beautifully in a study, library or on a maritime collection wall.
Provenance
Painted and inscribed in Hong Kong in July 1914 by a member of the Ah Hee Studio, the work was framed there, as confirmed by the framer’s inscription. It was almost certainly acquired by a British expatriate or naval officer and taken back to the United Kingdom shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, remaining thereafter in a private U.K. collection by family descent.
In the 21st century it has been curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD and selected for exhibition in Sailing Through Time – Maritime Art of the East at the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shrewsbury, Autumn 2025.
Why You’ll Love It
A wonderfully characterful Chinese junk in full sail, showing all the details of a working Pearl River trading vessel – from her battened sails to her busy working deck.
A signed, titled and precisely located Hong Kong School gouache, depicting the mouth of the Pearl River in 1914 at the very end of the age of sail in South China.
A rare time capsule of colonial Hong Kong taste.
An attribution to the influential Ah Hee Studio, carrying forward the China Trade painting tradition and highly regarded by collectors of maritime and Hong Kong art.
A ready-to-hang piece that unites Chinese craftsmanship, Western maritime history and the romance of traditional junk boats in a single, compact and highly decorative work.
Purchase & Enquiries
Click “Buy It Now” to make this Hong Kong marine masterpiece yours before it’s gone.
Explore our gallery, Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD, to discover more hand-picked treasures.
Questions are very welcome – please feel free to send us a message with any enquiries about this piece or about purchasing it together with the companion painting, Outbound Junk.
measurements
Height:
38 cm
Width:
42 cm
Depth:
2.5 cm
declaration
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD has clarified that the Colonial Painting –inbound Junk Ship Mouth of the Pearl River, Hong Kong C1914 (LA554040) is genuinely of the period declared with the date/period of manufacture being 1914
condition
Condition Report
For a painting executed in 1914, the condition is good. The gouache surface is fresh and stable, with strong, unfaded colour and no disfiguring losses, with some foxing stains visible on close inspection. The gold mount shows gentle, even toning, entirely consistent with age and adding to its period charm. The faux-bamboo gilt-wood frame is structurally sound, with an attractive, honest patina. Recent AR70 museum-grade glazing provides excellent clarity and effective UV protection. Overall, this is a clean, well-preserved, historically intact example, ready to hang.
additional info
Category:
Material:
Origin:
Date of Manufacture:
1914
location
This Colonial Painting –inbound Junk Ship Mouth of the Pearl River, Hong Kong C1914 is located in Greater London, United Kingdom
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