Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Objects of Vertu

Formerly the Property of Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon


A fan, circa 1900,
the leaf of white Honiton lace, the sticks and guard sticks of mother-of-pearl, decorated with vari-coloured flowers and Trophy of Love motifs, contained in a white card box inscribed in Queen Mary’s hand “Princess Margaret”, accompanied by a handwritten note from Queen Mary reading “Honiton lace fan make to order for Victoria Mary, Princess of Wales, for the St. Louis Exhibition, U.S.A. in 1904, given to Princess Margaret by her grandmother Queen Mary in 1939”, length 26.2cm.


With the Certificate of Provenance from Kensington Palace, dated 14 June 2006, in original embossed brown leather folder. £1,000-£1,500

Christie’s, Property from the Collection of Her Royal Highness, The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Sale 14 June 2006, Lot 326.

In 1904, St. Louis in the American state of Missouri, hosted 'The Greatest of Expositions' - the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, commonly known as the Saint Louis World’s Fair, running from 30 April to 1 December, which was to be the last great international exposition before the First World War.
The Fair was build on a 1,200 acre site at the Western edge of St. Louis, and commemorated the 1803 purchase of territory that more than doubled the size of the United States. The Fair included hundreds of thousands of objects, displays and publications from the arts, science and cultures from around the world, presenting the latest manufacturing products, scientific inventions, agricultural advances and famous art paintings, sculptures and art treasures. 62 countries worldwide and 43 of the 45 American states exhibited. Over twelve million visitors paid 50 cents admission to enter the Fair. A combination of trade show, American civic pride and a monument to culture, the Fair was a tribute to the 19th century’s international message of the furtherance of peace, prosperity and progress.

Victoria Mary, Princess of Wales, (later Queen Mary) requested the fan to be made for display at the St. Louis Exhibition in 1904 and later gave the fan to her granddaughter Princess Margaret, in 1939.

During the years of the Second World War, the two young Royal Princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret, took part in Royal pantomimes at Christmas, performed at Windsor Castle, helping to build morale during the dark years of the war. The first pantomime was held in 1941 and photographs show Princess Margaret holding this fan in her role as Cinderella. Further photographs of the two sisters in the 1943 Royal pantomime of Aladdin show Princess Margaret holding the lace fan in her role as Princess Roxana, her sister taking the title role of Aladdin.

The idea to stage the Royal pantomimes came after the two princesses appeared in a concert with children from the Royal School to aid the war effort. Funds from the shows went towards the Royal Household Wool Fund which provided comforts for the troops.