Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Macao Fan, 1840

Macao Fan, 1840
Queen Victoria, by whom bequeathed to
King Edward VII, by whom given to Queen Alexandra, 1901.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image courtesy of:
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

This Cantonese fan, known as “The Macao Fan” was made in 1840 of paper leaf with lacquered bamboo guards and sticks. It features a silk tassel supporting beads of pink tourmaline.

The fan was made for Queen Victoria who, in 1901, bequeathed it to her eldest son, Albert Edward (King Edward VII) who, in turn, presented the fan to his wife, Queen Alexandra.

This fan is a high-quality example of the Cantonese fans produced in the 1830s and 1840s. This fan, like others from Canton, depicts a large number of figures in which the faces are painted on tiny pieces of ivory and the clothes are made of real silk which are pasted onto the paper ground.

At either side of the central scene, in which a magistrate greets his son who has returned home on a white horse, are views of Macao. The Royal Collection states, “The Cantonese origin of this fan is confirmed through the survival of the original coloured lacquer box, finely decorated with Oriental figures, flowers and buildings. On the base of the inside of the box is the trade label of the shop (Volong) in Canton which supplied the fan.”

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

The Home Beautiful: The Model & Co. Firescreen, 1881

Fire Screen
Bamboo, Glass, Ferns, Butterflies
Model and Co., 1881
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Decorative screens, often of delicate materials, like this example, were placed in front of an empty and unused fireplace in the summer to cover the black hole in the hearth as well as  to reduce drafts.

This screen contains real ferns and butterflies which have been sandwiched between two layers of glass, supported in a bamboo frame.  It was made by Model & Co. of 4 North Street, Charlotte Street, and later of Tottenham Street, London.

Model & Co. was one of the most popular specialist manufacturers of bamboo furniture between 1881-1900.  In 1881, this screen was one of several designs from Model & Co. which were selected for illustration and praise by the magazine The Cabinet Maker and Art Furnisher. By 1897 Model & Co. were described by that publication as among the “aristocrats of bamboo manufacturers.” 

During this period, bamboo furniture enjoyed great popularity.  As the V&A stated, “Exotic materials, such as bamboo or lacquer panels, were imported from Japan and then combined with native flora and fauna in fashionable furnishings like this screen. Stuffed birds, Japanese or Chinese embroidery and stained and leaded glass was also used for screens made of bamboo by Model & Co.”

Unfolding Pictures: The Macao Fan, 1840

Macao Fan, 1840
Queen Victoria, by whom bequeathed to
King Edward VII, by whom given to Queen Alexandra, 1901.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image courtesy of:
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

This Cantonese fan, known as “The Macao Fan” was made in 1840 of paper leaf with lacquered bamboo guards and sticks. It features a silk tassel supporting beads of pink tourmaline.

The fan was made for Queen Victoria who, in 1901, bequeathed it to her eldest son, Albert Edward (King Edward VII) who, in turn, presented the fan to his wife, Queen Alexandra.

This fan is a high-quality example of the Cantonese fans produced in the 1830s and 1840s. This fan, like others from Canton, depicts a large number of figures in which the faces are painted on tiny pieces of ivory and the clothes are made of real silk which are pasted onto the paper ground.

At either side of the central scene, in which a magistrate greets his son who has returned home on a white horse, are views of Macao. The Royal Collection states, “The Cantonese origin of this fan is confirmed through the survival of the original coloured lacquer box, finely decorated with Oriental figures, flowers and buildings. On the base of the inside of the box is the trade label of the shop (Volong) in Canton which supplied the fan.”

The Home Beautiful: The Butterflies and Ferns Firescreen, 1881



The Victoria & Albert Museum



We have examined other firescreens which were made to be placed in front of an empty fireplace in the summer both for a decorative effect and to reduce drafts. These screens often were fitted with panels of needlework or beaded textiles, painted scenes, or, in the case of this small screen, preserved wildlife or taxidermy. This lovely screen contains real ferns and butterflies which have been sandwiched between two layers of glass. A delicate frame of Japanese bamboo supports this natural scene of local flora and fauna.

Model & Co. of London was a specialist manufacturer of bamboo furniture from 1881-1900. In 1881, this screen by Model & Co. was praised for its beauty and originality, putting the company in the position of being labeled as “the aristocrats of bamboo manufacturers.”