Object of the Day: Ostrich Feather Fan on Ivory Sticks

The ivory trade, thankfully, has been banned in most areas. However, prior to the past century, ivory was widely utilized for a variety of objects that are now produced with plastics and resins. Despite the cruel and dangerous means of extracting the material, we can’t overlook the artistry and craftsmanship that went into creating objects from ivory.

This hand fan is crafted from blazingly white ostrich feather mounted on ivory sticks. The ivory has been delicately carved and pierced. The upper most incising is gilt to give a luminous counterpoint to the creamy ivory. A fan such as this would have hung from a ribbon wrapped around a lady’s wrist so that when, needed, she merely had to raise her hand for relief from the warmth of the room.

I display this fan in custom-built case. Mounted on crimson chenille, the contrast makes for a striking work of art and a glimpse into time’s past.