Recommended Reading: Unfolding Pictures: Fans in the Royal Collection

I’m not the only one who collects painted hand fans, the British Royal Family has been collecting them for centuries. Dozens of gorgeous fans are housed in The Royal Collection and have been documented in the book, Unfolding Pictures: Fans in the Royal Collection.


Her majesty’s collection of hand fans is truly unrivaled. The eighty fans in the collection represent the finest works of fan makers from all over the world with examples dating to as early as 1600.

Many of the fans in the collection were used by members of the Royal Family. Others were given as gifts from the rulers of other lands. With intricately carved sticks of ivory, gold, silver and other precious materials, and richly painted scenes and motifs, these fans are undoubtedly functional works of art. A great deal of the items in the collection came from Queen Mary who received a huge amount of fans as gifts for her wedding. Mary took great care with all of them. Consequently, they are all in pristine condition. Her mind-set reminds us to take good care of the things we use every day. Who knows? One day, they, too might end up in a collection somewhere.