H20.532

Fan of white feathers. Ornamentation - tips of peacock feathers. Sticks carved of either ivory or bone. From the History Information Station: Object: Chinese folding fan of painted white duck feathers with ivory sticks tipped with peacock feathers. Late 19th century. History: The 18th century witnessed a considerable development in trade between China and the West. Apart from such commodities as tea, sugar and silk, an increasingly large proportion of Chinese experts included fancy goods such as fans and fan sticks. The design and decoration of "export" fans were made to appeal specifically to the Western market. Although both men and women used fans in China, export fans were rarely used by the Chinese. This fan is an excellent example of the type made for export.

Used: trade ~ China