Hand painted feather fan with pierced bone stays and white feathers. Painted on one side is multicolor spray of flowers with perching bird.
The 20 feathers connect on back with string near midpoint. First and last bone stays are nearly as long as the feathers while remainder of stays are only 3.25" long. Fan spreads open at pivot point at bottom where a stirrup shaped wire is riveted to bottom ends of stays with mother-of-pear washers. Hanging off wire is a double length of braided silk cord, decoratively knotted near midpoint. Cord ends wrap around small beads and unbraided individual threads extend from beads to create tassels. Accompanied by small hand-lettered label: "Fan - mid 19th century."
Front bone stay is cracked and broken at three places along its length. Cellophane tape hold first break from bottom. Soil and stain overall, especially on cord.
Object ID
1980.003.8
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
