Featured Double Sided Spanish Fan with Panache - Help with estimated age?

Hello,

I found this very large double sided fan. I think it is decorated with watercolours painted on both sides with scenes involving bullfighters. The fan is framed, so the pictures did not come as crystal clear as I would have liked it ; the main body of the fan is hand carved mother of pearl (same as with the guards). The frame looks old but I guess it might not be as old as the fan. Can you please help in estimating the age of the fan? Do you agree that the painted scenes are watercolours or other technique? I understand that you do not do prices here, but is there a way I can get an estimated value for it? The fan itself is pretty large (14.5" x 28").

Thanks for your usual help!

Luis

 

Fan-Dango.........where's our Fan folks ??

 

Those aren't bull fighters. They're characters wearing goyesco costume, which you can read about here. And they're participating in a capea which is informal event in which members of a group interact with small bulls or heifers as a way of amusing themselves.

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrid_goyesco#El_traje_goyesco

The other scene is a wedding ceremony.

Lovely fan and lovely frame. I would postit -- given mother of pearl decorated with hammock and palm trees -- that the sticks were made in the Philippines which would have been a Spanish possession at the time.

As to age, something about the female figures leads me to believe it's not from Goya's period but later in the Isabelina period. (That's roughly equivalent to our Victorian.) I do see writing on a barrel head and there's a open volume on reverse that looks as if it might have some writing. Would you post close-ups please?

Debora

 

L Yeves ----
or
L'leves...---

or 1 leves...????

 

@Any Jewelry

 

Hello,

Thanks for your feedback. I was struggling to get pictures without reflexion with my camera but did not work. Believe it or not, the pictures taken with my iphone (no commercial here!) came better. I am attaching pictures as requested. I might consider uploading a new set taken with my iphone camera!

Luis

 

Gorgeous, Luis.
Given the size, shape, and loop of the fan this fan dates from 1890-1900. It is in very good condition. The black motifs on the sticks and guards are oxidized silver, the gold is real gilding.
I think Debora's assessment of a Spanish colonial connection is right, although I would think Spanish colonial America. If there is a hammock (can't see it very well), that would point to a Caribbean influence.
Luis, aren't you in Colombia?

 

Who the heck is this?

 

Just wanted to add a general note.
There are very few antique Spanish fans. Most fans used in Spain in the 17th-19th centuries were made in France for the Spanish market.
That doesn't seem to be the case here, if there is a hammock there is likely to be a colonial connection, as I wrote above.

 

Your fan came from the shop of Léon Yeves. Here is an 1897 invoice of his that advertises him as the manufacturer of parasols, umbrellas, fans and canes. As you can see, the purchaser was a conde or count and the shop's address is on the prestigious Carrera de San Jerónimo in Madrid.

 

This is a period photograph of the street. Given number, his shop is very likely one of those on the left.

Debora

 

Would you post a close-up of the hammock scene? Looks Asian to my eye. And I still believe Filipino in origin. I've never seen much mother of pearl coming out of South America. (And the hammock does appear to be a traditional design from there.) Also, I can't think of anywhere in South America that would manufacture sticks of this quality with a tropical scene; gold and silver work mostly came from Andean countries.

Debora

 

Given the bride's costume, I'd agree that dates to late-Victorian period.

Debora

 

Hello,

I am sorry I did not respond before, but I had to re-take all pictures again and I am uploading them again in this reply. This time I used my iPhone and the photos came crispier. It is really amazing, but as I was retouching them, I managed to identify the artist's signature on both sides (please see some of the close-ups); looks like the artist name was M. Sanchez; it is a bit blurry but you can read M Sanchez in one of the sides, even looking at the fan it is difficult to notice.

Thanks to you all for your valuable input; it is really great!

I am actually based in Mexico (we are preparing for a big day tomorrow, which is the celebration of our Independence from Spain! perhaps this was a bit of synchronicity as I did not expect to find this treasure).

There is a very creepy character in one side of the fans pointed out by Bronwen, I do not know the meaning, but at first sight it reminded me someone from the Spanish Inquisition or perhaps a slave(?).

I have managed to take a better picture of the hammock and you can see that it is a tropical scene, so Any Jewelry might be right on her point about Caribbean influence. The interesting part is that the fan seems to have been made in Madrid, so perhaps the artist had some Mexican influence (?).

Again thanks a lot for your valuable input

Luis

 

Bronwen now wonders if it is a leper begging for alms. The guy just in back of him has his hand in his jacket like Napoleon & the lady on the bench with the toreador is fanning herself. It's full of little touches.

Happy Independence Day, Luis.

 

The Spanish Wedding, Marià Fortuny i Marsal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spanish_Wedding

In order to fill in all the space, fan artist had to invent some things, like the laurel wreath on the crimson pillow, that are not in the original.

 

Good Lord, what a find! Thanks a lot!

 

Amazing find Bronwen.
Patd

 

Thank you both but, would you believe, I had a thought, Googled 'Spanish wedding', & there it was. Sheer luck that it is the title of the right painting.

 

The reverse is likely to be a copy of a painting as well.

Debora