Featured Is this paper fan Victorian?

Hi all! This fan was amongst an ephemera lot I purchased on Ebay. I'm wondering if you can tell me if it would be as old as late 19th century? It is 8"L when closed. It appears to have been a gift perhaps from a gentleman friend! Any info appreciated as I know nothing about fans. Thank you!

 

Cor lovely,wish I knew something ( anything...) but I don't, I just like to pick them up when I see them. (Like a lot of things :O)
I know AJ will know. It's gorgeous,and isn't it amazing that paper can survive this long? ( Not that I have a clue **how old** but I have no problem believing it's late nineteenth) xxx

 

Ah, I love the handwriting! How sweet, I wonder if he was successful in wooing her? I can see a Downton-esque film script here…..

 

Lovely testimony of courtship in former times. A fan was an appropriate gift, since fan handling had a language connected with courtship, at a time when modesty was paramount.
It is early 20th century. James wouldn't have had much money, but he definitely had taste. It is a charming gift, with a lovely decoration which was very modern at the time.
And it looks like Lillie liked it, the fan has seen much use.

The Language of the Fan:


https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-secret-language-of-fans

 

'Sign language' for fan usage - learned something new today.

 

That's Antiquers for you, something new every day.

 

Thanks so much! Wonderful info.

 

Thanks all! The personal hand writing always gets me, really makes these old treasures come to life

 

You're welcome, Elen.

Yes, it does, like you are in the room with someone who lived over a century ago, and could touch their hand.

 

The language of the fan, what fun to be had!. There is an episode of Horrible Histories where a young lady gets her fan language mixed up and the menfolk get very confused!

 

I have a little 19th century instruction book with the complete fan language, great fun.

 

Here you go, not the best quality recording but the kids thought it was funny.

 

The fan is lovely and appears to have some age on it, The tassel and the woven or crochet mounting to the fan appears to be 19th century, but who knows. The handwriting looks like that of a gentleman from that period, too. Still, who knows?

 

If you read the Sothebys article you will find that the "language of the fan" is a myth. It was a marketing booklet distributed by the Duvelleroy fan company in Europe. If you think about it, what Victorian gentleman would "learn" the language when a women's eyes can to the talking. If you're interested in fans and want to learn more, check out the Fan Association of North America at fanassociation.org . It's a great resource for all things fans.

 

That is why we post links, but it is fun.
The Duvelleroy booklet was probably based on older Continental sources, because there was a 17th and 18th century fan language, at least in Continental Europe.
My book wasn't published by Duvelleroy, btw, but by a Dutch company. I have also seen a 'fan language instruction book' in French.

For those who understand German, here is a German video on 18th century fan language (pre-Duvelleroy!), made for the 2013 exhibition 'Die Sprache der Fächer' (the Language of Fans) in Oranienbaum Castle in DessauWörlitz.



You can also find evidence of 18th century fan language on paintings, btw.

Over the years I have posted quite a few links in other threads, I think it included one to the American association you mentioned. I don't intend to post them in every thread, but go on, feast your eyes on these collections:

https://www.amis-musee-eventails.com/notre-collection/
http://annehoguet.fr/home_en
https://www.faechermuseum.de/
https://www.thefanmuseum.org.uk/
Fans in the V&A, you can click on the photos for descriptions:
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?q=fans

 

Below is a gorgeous 1768 portrait by Swedish painter Alexander Roslin of his wife Marie-Suzanne Giroust, an excellent painter in her own right.
Because of the fan language and Marie-Suzanne's accompanying look, this painting was considered very risqué at the time.
This isn't a Duvelleroy marketing myth, it was also mentioned by 18th century contemporaries, including the famous French philosopher Denis Diderot (1713-1784).

So although there is a question mark as to whether the English-speaking Victorian world would have known fan language before Duvelleroy published their booklet, 18th century Continental European society certainly did, hence the uproar this painting caused.

 

That painting is fabulous!! Absolutely love how delightfully coy and cheeky she looks at the same time. Mixed messages with a black veil though?
I really need to source a print of this
What is the fan saying?

 

Playful, I think. Apparently the fashion is of Bologna, Italy, presumably they were living there at the time.

The original is in the Swedish national museum in Stockholm. I'm sure they have a museum shop, maybe they sell prints of the lovely Marie-Suzanne? I believe the official title is 'Lady with a Veil'.

 

The shawl worn like that reminded me a bit of 'la tapada', the costume of the ladies of Lima, Peru.