Fan — King's Theatre, Haymarket, Fan, London, ca. 1796

Fan in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number S.395-1978), made in London, dated ca. 1796, attributed to unknown. The museum's brief description reads: Paper fan, with box numbers and renters' names for the 1796 season at The King's Theatre, Haymarket. Museum description: Laid pulp paper fan, with rosewood sticks and guards, the leaves decorated on one side. At the centre, top, an engraved image of the the Royal Coat of Arms within a border, and, to each side an image of a dancer within an oval border and a 'sun', above a plan showing the box numbers and renters' names for the 1796 season at The King's Theatre, Haymarket. Engraved initials 'H.W.' at the base of the fan leaf. An old break to one of the guards is bound with cotton thread. The museum records it as Printed paper with rosewood sticks and guards, measuring Height 25 cm; Width 4 cm; Depth 2 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.