Fan — Fan belonging to Julia Neilson, China, ca.1900

Fan in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number S.1226&A-1984), made in China, dated ca.1900, attributed to unknown. The museum's brief description reads: Fan used by Julia Neilson (1868-1957) as Nell Gwyn in the play Sweet Nell of Old Drury, Haymarket Theatre, 1900, and as Lady Blakeney in the stage version of The Scarlet Pimpernel, New Theatre, 1905, with original box. Museum description: Fan with painted lacquer sticks and guards and a painted paper leaf, the sticks and guards decorated with gold paint. When open the decoration on the sticks forms a Chinese scene of figures and trees, framed with flowers and butterflies. The sticks are decorated with figures standing beneath willow trees. The paper leaf shows Chinese scenes, with a different image on each side. With metal hanging loop. Wooden fan box with hinged lid, the bespoke interior lined with red satin. The exterior painted black and decorated in gold paint, with three Chinese figures on the lid and foliage on three sides. On the left hand side is an attached paper label with Chinese characters. The museum records it as Painted lacquer and painted paper, with painted wooden box, measuring Height 28 cm; Width 49.5 cm; Height 29.3 cm; Height 28 cm; Width 2.7 cm; Height 5.1 cm; Width 31.8 cm; Depth 6 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.