On-site researchers: This item brought from Auchindrain Museum to Glasgow Museums Resource Center by curator of natural history Richard Sutcliffe for conservation and for GRASAC group to study. Contact http://www.activitypoint.co.uk; Ruth Phillips: the style of the moosehair embroidery motifs is relatively late, perhaps fourth quarter of the 19th century. The fan is also unusually large. Information received by email from the Auchindrain Museum Manager, Joanne Howdle prior to our visit stated: "Circular shaped fan made from brown and white birds feathers to the centre and brown and white feathers round the edge of the fan. Placed in three different spots in the middle of the fan three stuffed birds are attached. The first bird is brown, black, orange and white and is very squashed, the second bird is yellow and black and the third bird is brown, black and white. The identity of the birds is unknown at present. The fan has a tan leather handle, which is embroidered with white embroidery to the edge and green, red, white and yellow embroidery in the form of flowers to the centre of the handle. The reverse of the fan shows the line of the feathers clearly and the handle is embroidered in yellow, red, green, purple and white with a man wearing a headdress and who looks to be native American. There are what look to be cactus plants by the man. There is a clay pipe broken into three pieces the bowl of which is decorated with a harp and shamrocks with the fan. The clay pipe is not mentioned as being with the fan in the accession register (although details are brief). The fan was given to the Donor (Ms Nell Kerr, Auchenellan, Ford, Argyll) by her Uncle a railway engineer who is thought to have brought it back with him from Africa (?)" Dimensions: Height: 520mms Width: 440mms, Materials: Feathers & Leather contact: Auchindrain Museum, by Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland, PA32 8XN. Telephone: 01499 500235, E-mail: manager@auchindrain-museum.org.uk