Cream Silk Folding Fan with Mother-of-Pearl Sticks

Victorian Early / Crinoline · 1860s · European

An elaborate folding fan featuring a painted silk leaf mounted on intricately carved mother-of-pearl sticks. The leaf displays a romantic mythological scene with classical figures in flowing robes set against a pastoral landscape with clouds and foliage. The painting technique shows fine detail work typical of mid-Victorian decorative arts, with soft color transitions and gilded highlights. The mother-of-pearl guard sticks are pierced with delicate openwork patterns creating geometric and floral motifs. The fan's construction demonstrates the period's taste for ornate accessories that combined multiple luxury materials and skilled craftsmanship.