General Description : Folding fan with guards and fourteen sticks of stained bamboo, with an intaglio gold pattern on front. Leaves of red calico backed satin with a painted and embroidered floral spray. Steel ring handle.

Additional information : In the late 19th Century, fans were an essential accessory for women's evening wear and they were made in an unprecendented range of shapes, sizes, materials and styles. Romantic scenes of the past were popular subjects on fan leaves. The folding fan originated in Japan and was introduced to Europe in the second half of the 16th Century. A fan was an essential accessory in the formal dress of a wealthy woman. Although the original function was to cool the face, the fan soon became used as an important tool for secret, non-verbal communications.

Material : bamboo
Material : satin
Technique : handmade

Measurements :
length (cm)  31.5
width (cm)  3-unopened
length (ins)  12.4
width (ins)  1.2

Creation date/period : 1880-1910
Creation place : England

Object number : 1975.54