Fan — The Opera Fan, London, 28/02/1800
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
28/02/1800
Fan in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number S.1647-2014), made in London, dated 28/02/1800. The museum's brief description reads: Paper fan with wooden guards and sticks entitled The Opera Fan, printed with the names of the occupants of the boxes for the 1800 season at the King's Theatre, London.
Published 28 February 1800. Museum description: Paper fan with wooden guards and sticks printed with the title 'The Opera Fan' and edged in gold with an engraved border featuring crowns, Prince of Wales feathers and the Royal Crest. Printed with a diagram of the boxes and the names of their occupants for the 1800 season at the King's Theatre, London. Published 28 February 1800. The museum records it as Printed paper with wooden guards and sticks, measuring Length 25.0 cm; Width 46.5 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.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
This fan is printed with details of the boxes and the names of their occupants for the 1800 season at the King's Theatre, London, which specialised in presenting opera. The original King's Theatre burned down in 1789 and was rebuilt in 1792 to the designs of the architect, Michael Novosielski. The principal feature of the new interior was the number of boxes that curved in horseshoe form and rose, tier by tier, to the gallery that overlooked the large pit. Sixty-eight of the boxes were sold to private purchasers to raise money for the rebuilding of the theatre, while other boxes were leased by the lessee, Mr. Taylor, for various terms, all of which expired in 1824 or 1825.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- printing ink, paper, wood
- Dimensions
- Length 25.0 cm; Width 46.5 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Printed paper with wooden guards and sticks
- Place recorded
- London
Identification
- Museum object name
- Fan
- Museum object number
- S.1647-2014
- Museum system number
- O1297757
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.