I've had this for decades, literally. It's some of the finest mother of pearl carving I've ever seen, museums included, and survives as fine art all on its own. Whether you're someone who restores fans, or just wishes to display this as I have for the incredible beauty of it, it's time for it to belong to someone else. What remains of the hand painted leaf gives one an idea of what this fan once was. A beautiful antique French hand fan from the Belle Époque era, finely carved in luminous mother-of-pearl and presented in its original padded silk case. The monture is crafted from thick white mother-of-pearl guards measuring 28 cm, elaborately pierced and carved in deep relief with scrolling rocaille ornament, floral garlands, and delicate latticework inspired by chinoiserie design. Several sticks feature engraved figural scenes framed within cartouches, the iridescent nacre providing natural color that shifts from rose to green as the light moves across the surface.
The carving is exceptionally crisp and dimensional, reflecting the refined workmanship of the Paris fan ateliers that produced luxury fans during the final decades of the 19th century. A remnant of the original hand-painted leaf remain, showing pastoral figures rendered in delicate gouache on silk or paper. The leaf is now fragmentary, but the surviving sections illustrate the quality of the original decoration. The fan is housed in its original fitted presentation box covered in tufted silk satin, measuring approximately 30 cm long.
French fans of this quality were fashionable accessories for evening wear and were sold through Paris boutiques during the Belle Époque, prized both for their craftsmanship and their elegant visual effect when opened.
Condition remains very good for the carved mother-of-pearl structure, with the guards and monture intact fut for the one needing restoration and the bone sticks to be restored, along with a leaf. The painted leaf survives only as a fragment, as shown. An exquisitely beautiful example of late 19th century French fan artistry, displaying wonderfully carved mother-of-pearl with luminous natural iridescence.
