Fan — Rimmel's programme fan, London, 1868
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1868
Fan in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number S.433-1984), made in London, dated 1868. The museum's brief description reads: 'Rimmel's programme fan', produced as a souvenir programme for the opening of the rebuilt Gaiety Theatre, 21 December 1868, with the programme for W.S.
Gilbert's Robert Le Diable, the operetta The Two Harlequins and the comedy On the Cards.. Museum description: Souvenir fan printed with the programme for the Gaiety Theatre, 21 December 1868. Recto printed with the cast lists and credits for W.S. Gilbert's Robert Le Diable, the operetta The Two Harlequins and the comedy On the Cards, with line drawings of female figures to each side, the figures and headings in apricot.
Verso printed with an advertisement for Rimmel's Perfumery, with line drawings of female figures to each side, the figures and headings in pale green. Printed, left, on both sides, the words 'Rimmel's Programme Fan' and, printed right, on both sides, 'Gaiety Theatre Strand'. The museum records it as Printed paper and wood, measuring Height 23.5 cm; Width 3.5 cm; Width 43 cm; Depth 1.7 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
'Rimmel's programme fan', produced as a souvenir programme for the Gaiety Theatre, 21 December 1868, with the programme for W.S. Gilbert's Robert Le Diable, the operetta The Two Harlequins by E. Jonas with English words by Gilbert A'Beckett, and the comedy, adapted from L'Escamoteur, On the Cards. This souvenir fan was produced to mark the opening night of the rebuilt Gaiety Theatre. Gilbert's Robert Le Diable, subtitled The Nun, the Dun, and the Son of a Gun is a parody of Meyerbeer's opera Robert Le Diable, using lyrics by Gilbert set to the music of Meyerbeer, Offenbach and other composers of the time. To mark the occasion Rimmel the Perfumiers provided scented fountains in the theatre's lobbies as well as the fans.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- printing ink, paper, wood
- Dimensions
- Height 23.5 cm; Width 3.5 cm; Width 43 cm; Depth 1.7 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Printed paper and wood
- Place recorded
- London
Identification
- Museum object name
- Fan
- Museum object number
- S.433-1984
- Museum system number
- O1114039
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.