I have an entire crate of hand fans, antiques ranging from elegant c.1700s works of art, to pretty ones like this from c.1900 Paris. Likely a Grand Tour souvenir, this one is in surprisingly fine condition for age, but has a very awkward scotch tape application on the plain backside leaf of paper, which is visible and discolored. Luckily, it has not transferred to the front leaf, which is superb. It's paper, a hand colored printed leaf with a warm and elegant palette. Wood sticks and guards have been slightly embossed with gold, perhaps leaf. Just a pretty one. And the purveyor's stamp still on the back, so we know exactly where it came from. I'm able to find it as a purveyor of mostly fine French dolls, c.1900.
Very good to excellent for age and type, seems to have been folded and never used, perhaps not even displayed. Folds are crisp and neat, very little sign of its age, which we can confirm from the sticker. Just that awkward tape showing from backside. Sticks are straight, undamaged, strong and are wood. Measurements are noted on the photos, but closed it is 8.5" long (guards).
