This fan was a wedding gift to the future Queen Mary 'from the Lacemakers and Ladies of Honiton and Neighbourhood'. As a fine example of lace produced in Honiton (Devon), the main centre of native lace production at the time, it was clearly a most appropriate gift.

Lace has been made in the Honiton area since the late sixteenth century. In 1830 a Royal Warrant for supplying lace was granted by Queen Adelaide to Amy Lathy, a Honiton lace-maker. Nineteenth-century Honiton lace has many similarities with Brussels lace, although at Honiton the individual pieces of bobbin lace were applied to a machine-made net ground, rather than one made of drochel net. Queen Victoria's wedding veil and dress flounce were made in Honiton, as were those of the future Queen Alexandra. However, lace fans were not in fashion in either 1840 or 1863. Queen Mary was the first royal bride to receive a Honiton lace fan on her wedding.

The decoration on the leaf includes in the centre a crowned M, and at either side cornucopia containing branches of may blossom. The bride - Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, born on 26 May 1867 - was known as May within her family.

Text adapted from Unfolding Pictures: Fans in the Royal Collection 2005