What do you call this "not quite a feather fan" thingy?

I bought an auction lot of fans today, many of them feathered. This was also in there but I don't think it's a fan. It has a striped celluloid handle, just 1 ostrich feather, and a Knights Templar medallion.

What is it?

Thanks in advance!

 

a celluloid handled duster ????
they had lots of stuff that needed dusting.....

 

Do you mean Knights Templar, the Masonic order? Crest doesn't look the same.

Debora

 

It has the In hoc signo vinces at the bottom.

 

Sigma swiffer.........HeHeehehe!!!!!

 

That is the symbol. I'm surprised that a fraternity and Knights Templar share a motto.

 

Ah, that's why close-up photographs are always helpful.

Debora

 

That striped celluloid is called "French Ivory"

 

Motto used by a number of organizations but Sigma Chi it is.

Debora

 

Now that I know it's from a fraternity, I'm afraid to handle it. Maybe they used it in a ritual to tickle each other's butts or something.

 

I would suspect it's a party favor. Here's a vintage photograph of something similar.

Debora

 

That looks like it. But what is it called?

 

A Fan?

 

The few that I have found with a single ostrich feather have called them Flapper Fans. Have no idea if that is correct or not.

If you are on Facebook, I found this site which might help
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HandFanCollectorsFANA/

 

A fan. A single ostrich plume fan. May have been a 1920s fashion.

Debora

 

feather duster, 1920s.

 

Really?
With an ostrich feather and a celluloid handle? For a fraternity?
Hmmm
I have to question that.

 

I've been waiting for someone else to say feather duster because that was my first thought. But it does seem odd.