Modern Ivory Folding Fan with Fine-line Wire-sawn Patterns

This ivory folding fan is ornamented with relief-style floral patterns on guards while wire-sawn flowers in ovals on a foundation of clouds pattern on the ribs. On the upper section of the panel there are also wire-sawn flowers on a foundation of check patterns.
Ivory was once an important material for fan-making. A lot of ivory fans were made in China in the 17th and 18th centuries and exported to the nobilities in Europe. With raised awareness of wildlife protection of modern people, it is now rare to use ivory for crafts, making the existing ivory fans even more precious.