Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-16
Fans,
[Potter's Monthly. ]


Gent Roman ladies. The Greek and Roman
fans were made OF either lotus leaves or pea
cocks feathers, or Of some light, expansive
material painted in brilliant colOrs. They Gid
not open and shut, but were stiff and had
long handle. By this form they were best
adapted to the manner IA which they were
used. One person always famed another, as
might be Inferred from the quotation from
Terence at the head OF this article. Some
young slave OF either sex was chosen to carry
the mistress fan. and to fan her whenever she
desired: In a Pompeian painting. Cupid is
AIladDe, ana lamenting at her Abandonment
In the middle ages fans were employed In
the church services 10 keep files away from the
nished with belis OF silver which gently tinkled
as the fans were slowly moved In many an
Gent cathedral records notices OF such fans are
still to be found. In some OF the Oriental
churches use Is still made OF the fan In the
celebration OF certain services. But In the
western church 1t has passed entirely out OF
use, save that In the state PROFESSIONS OF the
Roman pontin large feather fans are still car
lied.
All European fans were inhexible. Japan
has the honor OF lnVenting the folding fan.
1t has always been OF the form still used-a
segment OF circle. On light radiating frame
work OF bamboo the japanese place paper,
which is then decorated in various ways. the
outer guards-thoSe which cover the others
when the fan is shut-they make sometimes of
iron. beaten extremely thin, and danascened
VII gold or other metals. From the Japanese
ing fans; from them IL came to the western
world The Chinese sometimes make them OF
very thin sheets OF ivory, delicateiy carved,
and fastened together by inreriacing ribbons
People in the lar Orient, OF every class ana
condition. make use OF fans. Even The artisans
cave tneir fans In one hand as they LABOR With
The other. When IL the seventeenth century
che Jatanes granted several Portuguese mer-
CT ants a ste for settlement, the little town
was laid our in the shape OF a ral-a graceful
compliment being thus paid To the inanuiac-
am
tuted an important part OF the merchants
dealings.
In tie fifteenth and sixteenth Centuries fans
came into common use by ladies II all the
western countries OF Europe. In the famous
dance or DEATH" Dy HOlbein, lady appears
with fan In her hand. Mr. Thomas Wright,
speaking OF tue Engiishwomen Of The day OF
Queen Elizabeth, has the following words
which bear upon our subject:
The fan Of the Eiizabethan age was usually
made OF feathers, like the faDs still In use Ia
the East, from whence 1t was probably derived.
The handle was often very richly Ornamented
and set with precious stones, and even with
dla r1 5o, AS. according to the custom also
claim TO dress In fashion was never without her
fan, 1t vas usually suspended to the glrdle by q
chain: satirlst OF the day, stephen Gosson,
approves or the fan II employed in the right
time OF the year, when 1t is useful for driving
away flies and for cooling the skin.
Palls was the Chief seat OF the fan manufac-
ture during the seventeenth century. They
we're painted and decorated by artists OF con
siderable fame. But 1t was last century when
me greatest amount OF talent and ingenuity
these useful trttleS. The most IUxuriOus orna.
mentation was employed just as far as the fans
were capable OF showing 1t. The sticks were
made OF ivory or mother OF pearl, each kind
being carved and ornamented In every Way nv
every means Of which it was susceptible. For
the mounts tafreta and satin and SIX coyerai
sometimes with the most expensive laces were
! used, or sometimes 1ne paper or delicate fine
white parchment called chicken ska, painted
Dy artists OF high repute. Into the sticks little
circles OF glass were set, through which the
holder could peer without attracting notice:
and at the pivot 1t was not unusual Tor small
telescopic glasses to be introduced.
=, AIter the time OF the French revolution the
the last few years-since the exhibition OF fans
az South kenstngton In 1S70-a new Impulse
mas heen given to the making and decorating of
Iens In England. And this new zeal has been
leit IN our country as well, and many ladies
nave taken TO decorating thelr own fans