Unfolding Pictures: Fans in the Royal Collection Book

The Royal Collection of fans is unique. Rather than being purchased by connoisseurs, nearly all the fans were created for or presented to their original royal owners, and have an unbroken provenance almost without precedent in the history of fan collecting. This lavishly illustrated book, the first on the subject, written from within the Royal Collection, presents the most beautiful, important and historically interesting fans, together with the stories of their creation, acquisition and biographical information on their owners. The fans range from a lace-cut leather fan, said to have belonged to Charles I, to three fans made in the workshops of Carl Fabergé. There are examples in every material conceivable, from paper and lace to ivory, mother-of-pearl, jay and ostrich feathers, enamel and precious stones, and of every type, from the decorative to the topographical, from commemorative fans to tiny miniatures and intimate personal gifts. A general introduction provides background information on the history of fans and on this collection in particular, while detailed descriptions and specially commissioned color photography highlight aspects of design and manufacture. Archive and contextual paintings, drawings, prints and photographs supplement the historical background, while a further important feature of the book is the full description of each fan, giving complete provenance and technical details, following scientific examination, together with a glossary of specialist terms, bibliography, and index. Jane Roberts is Librarian of the Royal Library, Windsor Castle, and has published widely on the prints and drawings in the Royal Collection. Prudence Sutcliffe was Assistant Curator of the Print Room in the Royal Library, Windsor Castle, and is widely respected as the leading authority on the fans in the Royal Collection.Susan Mayor was head of the Textile Department and a Director of Christie's, South Kensington. She is well known as a writer and expert on fans and the associated fields of textiles, lace and costume.Read More