Fan — Autographed wooden fan, belonging to John Gielgud, Great Britain, pre 1887

Fan in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number S.1223-1984), made in Great Britain, dated pre 1887, attributed to Alma-Tadema, Anna. The museum's brief description reads: Wooden fan with designs on the guards, probably by Laurence or Anna Alma Tadema (1867-1943), the sticks autographed by various actors and personalities, late 19th-early 20th century, signed for Mabel Terry-Lewis, belonging to John Gielgud.. Museum description: Wooden fan, of overlapping sticks held together by ribbon, one of the guards decorated with Classical designs of a wreath, comedy and tragedy masks and musical instruments, the other with a wreath, an artist's palette and a shield. The individual sticks are autographed and dated, on both sides of the fan, by various actors, actresses and personalities, including Henry Irving, Fred Terry, John Hare, Alma Tadema and John Gielgud, some with dedications to 'Mabel'. On one side the majority of the sticks are decorated in ink with portraits, flowers, and trees. The museum records it as Wood, metal and ribbon, autographed in ink, measuring Height 28 cm; Width 4.5 cm; Width 52.5 cm; Depth 3 cm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.