Woven Ivory Fan with Bird and Flower Designs
Main Material: ivory strips
Period: Mid-Qing Dynasty, 18th century
Overall length: 57.6cm / Fan Face length: 33.6cm
Period: Mid-Qing Dynasty, 18th century
Overall length: 57.6cm / Fan Face length: 33.6cm
The fan is in banana shape woven with ivory
strips and each of the strips is thinner than 0.1cm which makes up the major
part of the fan. The fan face is framed by tortoise shell around the edge with
an enamel handle painted with flower and butterfly motif. Herbaceous peony,
magnolia and blue bird are shown in the fan which is made by dyed ivory strip.
These elements carry symbolic meaning which is luck, peace and wealth. This
ivory fan served the Qing imperial family for practical purpose so fan face is
bent inward which create a more efficient cooling agent. The technique used in
this fan includes ivory woven technique, stained ivory and inlaid with other
materials. The woven technique is a complicated procedure that is used in the
making of fan and mat. Firstly, ivory has to be boiled and then enamel thread
inside the ivory has to be taken one by one. Then, craftsman has to weave it
into a mat or a fan. Because of the complicated procedure and the lacking of
successor, ivory woven becomes an extinct technique now.