Inherited fans

In a remarkable moment of serendipity I have just inherited a printed fan. My aunt has given me one that belonged to my great grandmother. Broken it may be but owning an example alike those I saw at The Fan Museum (see last blog post) feels like a very great privilege.

This is the fan (approx 24cms x 45). Across it, front and back, are listed the names of the kings and queens of England from William I including a little detail about the reign of each and a list of the names of any children they had + their dates of birth. On its obverse* it reads: "History of England from William the Conqueror to the present time. Pub. at Sudlow's Fan Warehouse 191, Strand." On the back the last name listed is Amelia (youngest daughter of George III, therefore the Prince Regent George IV's youngest sister) born Aug 1783, which I have to therefore assume is the year of the fan's production.

* "Obverse: The front of the fan. The public face of the fan; the side facing the viewer" from Fans: War & Peace by The Fan Museum

She also gave me this one, again belonging to my great grandmother but very different and much larger (approx 68 cms x 36) date unknown.