The other factor which makes this hand fan so special is one of the earliest uses of jasper-ware plaques from Wedgwood. Wedgwood had only perfected the process of creating jasper-ware in the 1770’s. The white and blue ornaments quickly fell into the favor of the Royal court and were incorporated into this fan by applying them to the ivory guards. The fan also features marquisites and steel-cut beads which give an added element of sparkle to an already opulent piece.
At some point in the Nineteenth Century, this fan was no longer in the possession of the Royal Family. In 1933, it was purchased at an auction for Queen Mary who had a pleasant habit of returning items to The Royal Collection.
1 comment:
This is lovely, it shows the high craftsmanship for which Wedgewood was famous.
Josiah Wedgewood was well known for his insistence on top quality design, and equally top quality output. Apprentices and workers remembered how he would inspect each new prototye and personally smash it if it did not meet his standards. In a somewhat 'rough & ready' working environment - ie a pottery/porcelain factory - this method communicated to even somewhat slipshood workers that substandard production would not be tollerated. Wedgewood was a just and fair employer and treated his employees well.
It is also impressive that Wedgewood has used a truly representative portrait of George IV to create the prince's medallion on the fan. A number of unflattering satires were circulating about the prince - based on a picture drawn when the prince was 'just out to get something' and wearing clothes that had been bought for him as a child several years before. Naturally an adolescent can't wear the exact same garments he wore as a 'tween without appearing 'far too big'. But the fault is the clothes, rather than the person. To further complicate matters, George IV was experiencing a sudden adolscent growth spurt. 'Baby clothes' did not fit a teenager who was growing to be two metres tall and immensely strong.
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