Gift of Mrs. Morris Hawkes. In the nineteenth century lithography became the most popular method of printed fan production. The process was developed early in the century, yet few lithograph fans date before the 1830s. They are often hand colored. As these two fans illustrate, identical prints appeared with great variation in color, reverse prints, sticks and guards.
Narrow paper mount with lithograph print.
Painted in steel-gray grisaille. Bone sticks pierced and applied with silver. The mid-century popularity of narrow leaves drew new attention to the design of sticks and guards. The sticks of the fan immediately above are of pierced bone with applied silver. The sticks of the fan above top are of gilt wood carved in a flower pattern.