Key Points
- Experts at Leeds Discovery Centre are cataloguing and conserving a collection of 400 historic hand fans.
- A standout item is a 350-year-old folding hand fan dating back to the 1680s, carved from antique ivory.
- The fan features a hand-painted depiction of the Judgement of Paris, a pivotal event from the Greek legend of the Trojan War.
- Selected items from the extensive collection are currently on public display in an exhibition at Lotherton.
- Curators highlight that hand fans were essential fashion accessories in the 18th century, serving as symbols of flirtation, love, and social status.
LEEDS (The Leeds Times) August 31, 2026 – A 350-year-old folding hand fan depicting a pivotal moment from the Greek legend of the Trojan War is amongst a historic collection of 400 items currently being catalogued and conserved by specialists at the Leeds Discovery Centre. Dating back to the 1680s, the intricate accessory is carved from antique ivory and features a detailed scene illustrating the Judgement of Paris, wherein the Trojan prince is tasked with deciding which goddess—Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite—is the most beautiful. Several items from this conserved archive have now been put on public display at an ongoing exhibition hosted at Lotherton, offering visitors a rare glimpse into centuries of fashion history and social etiquette.
- Key Points
- What makes the Trojan War hand fan a significant historical artefact?
- How were hand fans used as social tools in 18th-century fashion?
- What is the Leeds Discovery Centre and how is the collection being preserved?
- Background of the Development
- Prediction: How This Development Will Affect Museum Visitors and Cultural Historians
What makes the Trojan War hand fan a significant historical artefact?
The fan dating from the 1680s represents a period when decorative hand accessories were crafted with high levels of artisan skill and classical detail. Constructed with antique ivory sticks and guards, the fan serves as a canvas for classical mythology, specifically the mythological catalyst of the Trojan War.
In Greek legend, the Judgement of Paris occurs when the Trojan prince Paris is asked to award a golden apple to the fairest of three goddesses:
Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite. Each goddess offers Paris a bribe—Hera offers political power, Athena offers wisdom and skill in battle, and Aphrodite offers the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta. Paris chooses Aphrodite, leading directly to his abduction of Helen and the subsequent siege of Troy.
The depiction of this narrative on a late 17th-century luxury item demonstrates how classical literature and ancient legends were integrated into the visual culture of European elite fashion during the early modern period.
How were hand fans used as social tools in 18th-century fashion?
Beyond their functional utility in temperature regulation, hand fans played an essential role in daily social interactions, personal display, and non-verbal communication amongst the upper classes during the 18th century.
Natalie Raw, curator of costume at Leeds Museums and Galleries, explained that the collection offers a unique perspective on how accessorial trends developed across the ages.
Raw noted that while modern observers typically view fans primarily as tools for cooling down in warm weather, an 18th-century lady’s attire would have been considered incomplete without one.
According to Raw, these accessories were closely linked with contemporary customs surrounding courtship and romance. She observed that in addition to operating as prominent fashion statements, fans were frequently associated with the concept of flirtation, with the imagery painted across their leaves often signifying underlying themes of love, nobility, and romantic pursuit.
What is the Leeds Discovery Centre and how is the collection being preserved?
The Leeds Discovery Centre serves as the state-of-the-art storage and conservation facility for Leeds Museums and Galleries, housing millions of objects that are not on permanent display in the city’s main venues.
The process of cataloguing and conserving the 400-piece fan archive involves meticulous assessment, stabilization, and documentation by specialist conservators. Historic fans—comprising delicate materials such as vellum, silk, paper, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell, and antique ivory—require controlled environmental conditions regarding humidity, temperature, and light exposure to prevent degradation.
By cataloguing each item, museum staff ensure that the physical condition, provenances, and artistic subjects of the fans are recorded for academic research and future public access.
The selection of items currently displayed at Lotherton—a historic hall and country estate managed as part of the Leeds Museums and Galleries group—allows portions of this protected archive to be accessed directly by the public.
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Background of the Development
The conservation of the 400 fans at the Leeds Discovery Centre forms part of a broader, ongoing effort by regional museums across the United Kingdom to preserve textile and costume heritage. Over the past three centuries, hand fans transitioned from luxury items imported from East Asia or crafted by specialist European guilds to mass-produced items, before largely falling out of everyday fashion use in the early 20th century.
The creation of dedicated costume archives in regional centers like Leeds allows historians to track shifts in trade routes, material availability, and social norms.
In Western Europe, fan-making reached its artistic peak during the 17th and 18th centuries, with specialized folding fans incorporating materials such as carved ivory, gold leaf, and fine gouache painting. The inclusion of classical motifs, such as scenes from Homeric epics or Ovidian poetry, was widespread, reflecting the educational standards and aesthetic preferences of the wealthy aristocrats who purchased them.
Modern conservation efforts focus on maintaining these delicate organic materials without altering their historical integrity. Facilities such as the Leeds Discovery Centre use specialized storage systems and preventative conservation techniques to ensure that fragile items remain intact for long-term historical study.
Prediction: How This Development Will Affect Museum Visitors and Cultural Historians
The successful cataloguing, conservation, and exhibition of the fan collection at Lotherton and the Leeds Discovery Centre is poised to deliver tangible benefits for both general museum visitors and specialized academic researchers.
For the general public and museum attendees, the exhibition at Lotherton provides an accessible visual window into historical fashion and social conventions.
Displaying items like the 350-year-old Trojan War fan helps bridge the gap between abstract history and tangible material culture, enhancing public engagement with regional heritage sites. Visitors gain a deeper understanding of how ordinary objects historically carried complex symbolic meanings regarding status, romance, and classical education.
For cultural historians, fashion researchers, and textile conservators, the comprehensive cataloguing of all 400 fans expands the accessible record of European decorative arts.
Documenting the materials, themes, and physical conditions of these accessories contributes to broader scholarly research regarding 17th- and 18th-century trade, artisan techniques, and elite lifestyle patterns in Britain and continental Europe. Furthermore, establishing conservation records for fragile antique ivory and historic textiles offers valuable data for museum professionals managing similar organic collections worldwide.
