Hand-Painted Chinese Fan
OwnerOwned by
James Cromar Watt
(Aberdeen, Scotland, 1862 - 1940)
Date1870-1899
Object NameFan
Mediumtortoiseshell paper fringing: purple, blue and white cotton, metal, silk
ClassificationsFashion and Dress
AcquisitionJames Cromar Watt Bequest, 1941.
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS053369
About MeBrown tortoiseshell Chinese fan, comprising seventeen beautifully carved and shaped fan panels, creating five different registers from centre to edge. The first register is plain tortoiseshell, decorated with a single gold foral motif; the second consists of a paper strip covering the tortoiseshell sticks, this depicts a richly painted scene of flowers and birds; the third register consists of the tortoisehell sticks each showing a chinese figure painted in gold, each one individually created and possibly depicting different functionaries of the emperors court. The fourth register again consists of a painted paper strip, this time it appears to depict court scenes in rich colours. The final register is the scalloped outer edge of the fan created by the polylobed rounded ends of the sticks each one depicting a gold flower motif. The sticks are held together at the end with a metal loop with a green cotton cord leading to three cotton tassels, red, white and blue.
1800 - 1849
Qing Dynasty, late 19th century
Qing Dynasty, late 19th century
Qing Dynasty, 19th century
Qing Dynasty, late 19th century
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, c.1795
