THE Fan Museum in Greenwich is staging a new exhibition which combines a selection of its historic fans with exquisite photographs of turn-of-the-century celebrities.

The pictures come from an extraordinary archive of 3,500 glass negatives held at the Victoria & Albert Museum. The 15 inch by 12 inch negatives are part of a collection known as the Lafayette archive. They were discovered on a London building site in 1988.

The world- famous Lafayette studio was given a Royal warrant by Queen Victoria.

The prints have been created from the original negatives using digital technology.

The portraits, which span a period from 1885 to 1933, depict celebrated women including Royals, aristocracy and notorious society figures, all carrying fans.

Displaying the pictures alongside corresponding fans selected from the museum's 4,000-strong collection, the exhibition, entitled Presenting a Cooling Image, aims to place each fan in its historical and social context.

The pictures trace fashions from the Victorian era to 1920s flapper styles.

The exhibition was opened by fashion and jewellery designer Zandra Rhodes.

Museum director Helene Alexander said: "This fascinating exhibiton has two aspects to it; the enjoyment of beauty and pretty things and a more serious side, tracing a period of historic and social change we see images from before and after the First World War."

The Fan Museum, with a collection dating from the 11th Century, is housed in a pair of Grade II* listed buildings, built in 1721. The exhibition runs until March 26 next year.

The Fan Museum, 12 Crooms Hill, Greenwich, open Tues to Sat 11am - 5pm, Sunday noon - 5pm. Entry £3.50/£2.50 concs. For information, call 020 8305 1441 or visit fan-museum.org