A RARE CARVED BOXWOOD FAN HANDLE Zhou Li (active late 19th-20th century) The handle is in the form of a twin branched finger citrus with fruit and leaves to either side of the fan holder and a grasshopper amongst them to one side, the carved seal at the end of the branch handle reads 'Zhou Li zuo' (made by Zhou Li); five drilled holes on the branches for attaching the fan, two holes at the underside of the handle for ropes. 7 5/16in (18.6cm) long 清 十九世紀末或二十世紀 黃楊木雕佛手蟋蟀扇柄 《周禮作》單行篆書陰文刻款 For similar examples, see one without signature sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3871, one from the Chengxuntang Foundation bearing the mark of Zhou Yi (1861-1911) included in the Min Chiu Society Thirtieth Anniversary Exhibition, Selected Treasures of Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 1990, no. 256, and one signed by Zhou Yi sold at Christie's New York, 17 September 2015, The Lai Family Collection, lot 950. Zhou Li appears to be an unrecorded artist, but his carving style and similarity to Zhou Yi's name suggest that the artist of the present lot was strongly influenced by the master carver Zhou Yi, with the possibility that Zhou Li was a student or follower of Zhou Yi. A native of Ningxiang County, Changsha in Hunan Province, Zhou Yi specialized in carving boxwood, zitan, and ivory, especially handles.