The Marriage of George, Prince Of Wales, And Caroline of Brunswick, 1795. An Intriguing 18th Century Stipple Engraving and Hand-Coloured English Fan, the double paper leaf mounted on simple shaped wood sticks. Marked as Publish'd at Sudlow's Fan Warehouse 197 Strand. Centrally, a portrait of the couple, under the Prince of Wales feathers and motto "Ich Dien" in German, meaning "I serve". The upper border of the leaf is printed with caricatures of men and women of the period. This section has a particular feature in that if the fan is half closed, part of a face from another fold joins with half a face from a previous fold to form a completely different expression. The advertisement to the right can be read in two different ways using the same principle, as "Harpsicord properly taught on the best principles by Paul Thrumbini" or "Harpsicord Improperly taught & on the worst principles by C.Thrumbini". The leaf has other interesting vignettes, with a couple, the man in uniform, admiring a cannon whilst an older couple look at an encampment; a marriage ceremony with winged cherub above; a traveller falling from a collapsing horse with signs reading "XII miles from", "Hyde Park Corner", and "In 1794." The remaining texts are riddles and answers. The verso is plain.
Guard length 9.75 inches or 25.5cm
See Schreiber "Fans and fan Leaves" no14, English Historical Fans