Alexandre: A Brussels Lace and Painted Fan From The Workshops of French Fan Maker Alexandre, late 19th century, circa 1880's, in original fan box. The mother-of-pearl monture, in a soft pink, is gilded with classical designs of musical instruments and flowers. The double leaf consists of a simple light cream gauze to the verso, concealing bone ribs. The recto, in contrast, features two panels of a honey coloured silk, the smallest, to the left, with entwined initials, the panel to the right painted with a scene of characters from the Comedia Della Arte, with Harlequin bowing to kiss the hand of Columbine, Pierrot watching from the far right. A gentleman in breeches, white ruff, carrying a sword, (perhaps Il Capitano) kneels to Columbine's right, and a masked lady (perhaps Rosaura), observes from the left. Both panels are inserted within a shaped lace leaf, of good mixed Brussels needle lace, mainly floral bobbin lace but with fine needle lace fillings featuring to divide the silk panels. The Alexandre signature is to be found in the smaller panel to the left, under the entwined initials. Contained in the original strong card fan box, the exterior covered in eau de nil silk, the inside lid with a paper label for "Alexandre, Eventailliste. De sa Majesté la Reine de l'Angleterre et de toutes les cours de L'Europe, 14 Boulevard Montmartre PARIS", mentioning also Russian and Dutch Royalty, and various prizes won at exhibitions, quite a lot more detail than often found. Guard length 11.25 inches or 28.5cm.