Bird Catcher: M.270-2015

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Bird Catcher

Maker(s)

Entities

Folding fan

Description

Folding fan, depicting a bird catcher watched by a group of companions.
Handpainted vellum, mother of pearl sticks (lacking part of guards)

Notes

History note: Lennox Boyd Estate. Christie's no. 1072

Legal notes

Accepted by H. M. Government in lieu of inheritance tax from the Lennox Boyd Estate

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Allocated (2015-04-27) by H.M. Government

Note

Pastoral subjects became very popular in the mid-18th century and were revived on fan leaves a century later. The losses on the guards were filled by a conservator in order to make the fan safe to handle. An acrylic resin was moulded and casted to create a clear, flexible fill.

This fan forms part of the collection of the Hon. Christopher Lennox Boyd, allocated to the Museum by H.M. Government in lieu of inheritance tax in 2015. The collection of over 600 fans ranges in date from the 18th to the 20th centuries and in type from bejewelled and hand-painted court and wedding fans, to printed mass-produced advertising fans, aide-memoire fans, mourning fans and children’s fans.