Rechthoekige waaierdoos van karton bekleed met cremekleurig satijn en gedeeltelijk gevoerd met wit papier c. 1890s

Editor: So, here we have a rectangular fan box crafted around the 1890s, attributed to weduwe W. van der Hulst. It's made from cardboard covered in cream-colored satin, partially lined with white paper. It's quite simple, almost austere, but there's a delicate elegance to the satin. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Elegance indeed! I think the most interesting aspect here is its silent storytelling. It's a vessel, you see? An empty one now, perhaps, but once cradling a delicate fan, a tool of courtship, a whisper of unspoken feelings. The muted cream satin…doesn't that speak of restraint? Almost whispering secrets within its gentle form, don't you think? Editor: I hadn’t considered it like that, almost as a time capsule of sorts. Did the material choice – the cardboard and satin – reflect a certain status, or function? Curator: Precisely! Satin implies a certain…gentility. Yet, the cardboard hints at practicality, a mass producible, democratizing element, perhaps? This subtle tension—high and low—interests me far more than the box itself, wouldn't you agree? The fan, remember, was almost an extension of one's personality in the 19th century, so to see that it was stored in this beautiful box, tells a story on its own. Editor: Absolutely! It bridges practicality with status! I never would have considered that just looking at it. It really makes me appreciate even these functional art pieces much more deeply. Curator: Wonderful. Because ultimately art…even fan boxes, invite you to discover how it speaks and transforms your own perceptions. It is like a good melody, hummable for all ages!