Needlework hand fan or fire screen

Name

Brief description

A shield-shaped hand fire screen or fan. It is worked in flamestitch on canvas in silk threads in shades of blue, green, rose, red, gold, tan, light brown, and black and white. The reverse is covered with an unusual embossed paper tinted in shades of green and orange. The fan has a delicately turned maple handle with gold silk tape strings tied to end, for hanging.

Dimensions

length: 16 1/4in
width: 10 1/2in

Material

Silk (textile)
Canvas (textile material)
Maple (wood)
Paper (fiber product)

Production date

18th century

Production place

Boston (Massachusetts)