Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-22

The Manner in which They are
Manufactures.

During the past few years Japanese fans
nave become so popular In this country that a
lev hrle1 renaiks respecting them and The
marLef IN which they are manufactured may
perhaps prove acceptable
4 ritter in Clam Se7-S' journal SAYS:
Osaka is the principal city for the manutac
TUE Of the or or FOLDING fans. which are those
almost exclusively exported all descriptions VI
the bamboo Kind being made ;here: ;ae dguTAS
W'tlpg. etc, Required for their adjournment ara
executed al hioto. The prices vars rom a teS
pence up TO SO per hundred and even OCCASION
aln higher prices are ciyeo though the bulk
cnisiSls OF the cheaper sorts. TGe superior
aiI.'is OF fans IL MAY be- mentioned psgenihetI-
caiiy- which are termed uo.,ond oy the Janb-
nese. are Manufactured at kioro. ana ara eX-
tersiyely used by the better Classes o. tde IA
tvs.
lie following are the principal features in
the account aicl Mr.. Consul Aanesiey giles
OF 'Ee cetails connected with OF or folding
lanS- As 10 many other branches or industry
the principle OF DIVISION OF LABOR Is carried Olt
In the fan making trade. The bamboo rios are
mace In OSAKA and kloto by private individuals
In Their own houses. anu combinations of fae
one OF the finishing wcr.mrn who ror7ls IRE
various patterns OF the andle accordlus 10
R is ros prsP.Ted do o. sa. Jaa dSssne n
tn "ngravers the patterns wnicu h,s rx-
PEI nee teaches him VIII o. mos u,a,-
10 be saleable during the ensuing season.
ana when the different blocks have ueen Gu
It Sill rests with him TO sav what CnlOrS are 10
lie @1ed Tor the two slices or eaCa fan. In TACT
Jhi~ u;ECiai holds, Il not the best pdid. at "a.
fatF TIE most Important position on thu Star ia
oTdlDary. Wien the pr utCd sheets which AZ.
70 1"11n the TWO sides OF the Ians have bae;,
hafded over 10 the workman. together VITA The
set nj bamboo Sips which are o form the RIBS
his tirst business Is TO fold the TWO sheets OF
whleh the fan is 10 be composed. so Thar they
Will retain the crease. and this Is done h. pur-
TIM them between two pieces or paper. Vel
saturated with oil, and properly creased. The
1ouF are then folded together and placed under
heavy weight.
"a
are taken out and the mOulds used again, the
released sheets being packed up for at least
tWenty-folr hours In their folds. The next
process Is 10 take the ribs, which are tempo
rarlly arranged La order on wire. aud sci"
them into their places on one OF the sheets
after IL has been spread out on a block ana
pasted A dash OF paste then gives the wood
work adhesive powers, and that part or the
process Is finished by affiXing the remaining
sheet OF paper. The fan has TO be folded u5
ana opened three or four times before the
folds take the proper shape: and by the time
the ian is put up TO dry. IL has received lar
more handling than any foreign paper could
stand; Indeed foreign paper has aeen tried
ana had 10 be given up. as unsuitable for the
work; but with great care the Osaka Lawmakers
had been able TO make some fans with printed
pictures, which had been sent over from Amer
lea, though they were Invariably obliged 10 use
one race OF Japanese paper.
lie Qualities or native paper now used are
not nearly 50 goou as those OF which the Old
fans we're made, and in consequence the style
stead or first FASTING the two faces OF the fau
together and then running In pointed RIBS
the ribs are square and are pasted ii their
places IN the manner described above. The
Outside l2cquered pieces and the fancy-Hork
are all done In Osaka and ktoto, ana some OF
the designs ii lacquer on bone are really ar
tistic: but the demand for tie highly orni-
meD1ed descriptions CT fans is not suiii Gent TO
encourage the production OF large quantities
or tlrSt-clasS Work. When the fnSidCS are dry
the riTeting OF the pieces together. including
the outer covering, is rapidly done, ana d q isn
or NarIlsh quickly finishes the fan.
The highest price that was ever given for a
fan IL the days OF Secluson from the outer
world rarely exceeded a sovereign; but since
the arrival or foreigners IA the country. Soiae
few have been made TO order at prices varying
from 81 TO IS sterling. The general prices or
orolnaTy IanS range from 2S or S5. 10 e. per
100, though an extraordinarily expensive ian Is
turned out at el0 per 100. The sale OF fans In
oldeu times seldom exceeded 10000 a year for
the Whole country; but in recent years no less
than 5000, 600 per annum have been exported
from the ports OF Osaka and Yokohama alone.
In concluding these brief notes IL may be inter-
eStllg 10 mention that the number or fans CT
dertQ In Japan for the centennial exhibition al
fhitdde phia reached the large figure OF so0. 900
The estimated cost OF which was GlUpOu anu
that these were over and above the ordinary
annual export alluded 10 before.