. "During the last three decades of the 19th century there was a passion for using parts of dead animals as ornaments, both for the person and the home. This craze intensified during the 1880s, and in spite of numerous contemporary articles exposing the barbarities inherent in this trade, the fashion persisted.\n\nThe fan shown here has a stuffed hummingbird amidst feathers and down from a variety of exotic birds. The spray of roses and leaves are actually made of pink, white and green feathers. Resting on the feather foliage are three real beetles. Fans like this one would be intended to enhance the fashions worn at balls, soir\u00E9es, theatres and weddings."@en . . .