Fan

The handscreen was a popular form of fan alongside the folding fan. Women generally used them indoors to protect their faces from fireside heat. Handscreens were usually produced in pairs and placed one on either end of the mantlepiece. This handscreen has a random covering of coloured pieces of paper depicting flowers, birds and figures. Middle-class women could buy these paper decorations in sheets and use them to decorate furniture, such as folding screens. These early forms of cut-outs were a very popular pastime.