A table screen was often to be found in the study of a Chinese scholar. On a practical level they were useful for preventing draughts and preserving the privacy of its owner. Their carefully thought-out design was not purely decorative: the motifs were often chosen to provide an intellectual stimulus for a writer or painter.
A 19th century example, measuring 11 x 12 x 6in (28 x 30 x 15cm), is coming up in Schuler’s auction on December 7-11 in Zurich with an estimate of SFr1200-1800.