Mary Stuart's fan


beginning of the 19th century (?) Glass, silver, silk, tulle, maple wood, gilding box: length 32 cm, width 24 cm, depth 12 cm Placed in a glass box with a lid, small rounded legs and silver frame. The bottom is laid out with a pillow made of blue atlas with decorative braids. The fan leaf is made of white tulle with appliqued gilt decorations. The upper part of the leaves is missing, while the lower part of the leaves made of maple wood is preserved. A gift from Dr Lavoslav Sram, attorney from Zagreb, in 1876. An issue of 'Vienac' from 1876 mentions this fan among other gifts to the National Museum: 'Our national museum has newly acquired two interesting gifts. Madam Sidonija Sram nee Geyer, the wife of well-known patriot Dr Lavoslav Sram, has donated to that national institution a crystal box with a fan of antique make, made of maple wood, glass starlets and golden lace. That fan was kept for as long as one could remember in the family of her aunt Baroness Josipa Spielfeld, and family tradition had it that it had at one time belonged to the unfortunate queen Mary Stuart. We feel that it is our duty here to express our gratitude to Mrs S. Sram on such a patriotic gift, and the experts' duty will be to research whether this artefact really belongs to the period to which family tradition ascribes it.' Restored in 1996 by Iva Cukman from Zagreb.




HPM/PMH-000935