Edwardian mother-of-pearl and bone brisé fan with pastoral scene

This Edwardian brisé fan serves as an evocative example of turn-of-the-century accessory design. The construction features luminous mother-of-pearl guard sticks that display a gentle, iridescent sheen with subtle pink and green flashes.

These guards frame a series of delicately pierced and engraved bone inner sticks. The fan opens to reveal a soft gauze leaf, which is meticulously hand-painted with a romantic scene depicting a pastoral maiden in a flowing dress, tenderly holding a blue bird amongst flowering foliage. The color palette of blush rose, sage, and ivory perfectly encapsulates the romantic Belle Époque aesthetic, reflecting the sentimentality and lightness characteristic of early 20th-century couture.

The gauzy material provides a graceful translucency, lending the painted scene an ethereal quality when fully opened. Measuring 37cm by 64.5cm, this piece represents an accessory utilized for both practical purposes and as a deliberate statement of elegance and feminine refinement. It is housed in its original fitted case and remains a representative artifact of Edwardian social costume.