A fan made of dyed ostrich feathers

A fan made of dyed ostrich feathers mounted on a tortoiseshell frame with a silver monogram. Tortoiseshell was obtained from the shells of exotic hawksbill turtles. The presented fan originally had feathers of a deep brown colour, but with the passage of time the colour lost its intensity.

The feathers of the fans were dyed in many colours, and each lady had several fans of different colours. The colour of the fan was matched to the colour of the dress and other accessories. Wealthy ladies had a large number of fans corresponding to the colours and size of their wardrobe.

Michał Rajchert