This is a leaf from one of the most famous of European books:  the trailblazing "Encylopédie (Encyclopedia, or a Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts)" published in France between 1751 and 1766, with Denis Diderot and Jean d'Alembert as general editors. This wonderful project included a whole volume of engraved plates, and this one illustrates the métier of "Evantailliste," or maker of fans. Lower down on this leaf, you see the tools of the craft, and in the upper portion there is a delightful engraving of a young woman, seated at her desk in a room as light pours in through the high windows, carefully painting by hand what is probably some mythological or flirtatious subject onto the paper surface. Fans of the 18th century that were decorated this way can be excellent works of art, and are still much sought after by collectors. I have owned a few of them myself.

Dimensions of the engraved picture are about 5 inches by 7.75 inches, on a folio sheet of paper (handmade, chainlined) measuring about 16.25 inches by 10.25 inches. This is an original, antique exemplar, not one of the reproductions often seen here on Ebay and elsewhere. It is signed on the plate, bottom right, by the very good, listed artist A.J, Defehrt/de Fehrt  (1723-1774). The paper has toned over the last 260 years and there are various dings and traumas top and bottom. Condition of the engraved plate remains overall good and attractive. The folio sheet, with the upper and lower margins masked,  would make an excellent impression matted and framed, in my opinion. A fine historical document as well as a nice work of art, offered at a very modest opening price. Shipping within the U.S. will be $6.