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Large Cream Hand-Painted Fan
Large Cream Hand-Painted Fan
Large Cream Hand-Painted Fan
Large Cream Hand-Painted Fan

Large Cream Hand-Painted Fan

Datec.1915
Object NameFan
Mediumsilk, swansdown and wood
ClassificationsFashion and Dress
DimensionsLength: 34cm
Width Open: 63cm
AcquisitionPresented in 1983 by Dr M A Hutchison.
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS009420
About MeLarge cream silk handpainted fan with sixteen white wooden sticks which are decorated with a fine printed gold floral design. The silk of the fan features branches of blossom and a butterfly, painted in fine detail. The tip of the fan is decorated with swansdown. The back of the fan is covered with a stiffened silk and there is also a gold metal hoop at the base of sticks.

Until the First World War the fan had been seen as a status symbol for almost 250 years. During the Edwardian period it remained a vital accessory, which, like all fashions of the time, did not escape the opulent excesses of the age. Oversized luxurious feather fans, dyed to match an evening gown, were particularly popular.