A Beautiful hand painted English Black Lacquer Papier Mache Face Screen on a lovely wooden handle.

Black Lacquer over Papier Mache With gold design hand painted flowers and birds on a lovely Victorian spindle wooden handle. Handle was professionally repaired.

Antique face screens were used by women to protect their faces from the heat of a fire, primarily to prevent their heavy, often white-based makeup from melting or smudging when sitting close to a fireplace, essentially acting as a barrier to maintain their complexion while near a heat source; they could also be used to subtly avoid unwanted attention by partially concealing their face.

The main purpose was to shield the thick layers of face paint, particularly prevalent during the Georgian and Victorian eras, from melting due to fire heat. 

Some women might use them to discreetly avoid unwanted interactions by partially hiding their face while still being present in a social setting.

These screens were often handheld, made from materials like papier-mâché, and decorated with intricate designs.

This is an exquisite piece of history as well as art.