Fan restoration : broken Black mother of pearl sticks

fan after restoration

Situation : what is that fan I’ve been entrusted with ?

This is a late XIXe century fan, mount on a  black  mother-of-pearl sticks ( or « dusky dark grey/mauve one) an rivet. This is one of the most precious and fragile material, very famous and wonderfully good looking.

Mother-of pearl sticks are as brittle as glass, and as shiny as a rainbow…  Fans with such sticks were precious in the time they have been made, and still are today.

This wonderful fan had several broken sticks and the leaves were ripped off the frame, full of tears.

damaged fan

I then had to re glue them back in place, once the broken sticks have been reinforced.

The restored fan still remain fragile, but can be properly exhibit without any risk now !

If you want to know how to exhibit your fan without any risk, you can click there !

To better know the wonders of Mother of Pearl, you can click there !