Rock Island daily Argus., 1888-10-20
THE FAN IN JAPAN.
DETAILS OF THE PROCESS OF DE-
SIGNING AND MANUFACTURING.

A Great Variety of Colors Applied by
Means of Blocks of Cherry wood-Fans
for Gentlemen of Taste-The Fans Many
Uses-Etiquette.
Among the scenes of unique interest which
arrest the eye of tie traveller in Japan one
finds ones self well repaid for visit to the
fan makers. Few of those who visit the
curios shops to purchase these gaudy trifes
have any idea of the meaning of their pict-
uresque designs or the method by which they
are made. Yet this handicraft does really
more to advertise Japan than any other
manufacture. Fans are made by thousands
of independent laborers, centralized capital
and labor for the manufacture of works Of
art and handicraft being as yet little known
in Japan. The principal workers in this
trade are found in Toxic, kioto, Nagoya and
Fukui.
We have have watched the operation from
beginning to end-the splitting of bamboo,
the cutting and pasting of delicate rice paper
by the girls, the artistic, dainty picturing,
the finishing and packing. They are some
times inscribed with classic quotations,
poetry, statistical tables, almanac lore, maps,
pictures Of noted places and congratulations.
Often these are made to depict life, customs,
architecture in Europe, or even Yokohama,
that city being the immediate link between
the Japanese and foreigners. Thus are the
fans in the household, of which there are
many, made to educate the family.
The design for the pictures on an ordinary
fat fan is first drawn on thin paper, then
pasted on a block of cherry wood and en-
graved; afterward printed from this by lay
ing the fan paper on the block and pressing
smoothly. japanese books have been printed
in this way for centuries prior to the late
changes in the empire. The variety of colors
are put on with not infrequently as many as
twenty blocks. Often the picture papers
have the choicest of perfumes laid between
them before being pasted on the frame, then
finished with ivory handles, inlad and gold
lacquered
FOR GENTLEMEN OF TASTE.
Gentlemen of luxurious tastes have large
| collections of these refreshing trifies, with
autograph inscriptions and pictures from
celebrated artists. A very dainty custom in
vogue is to exchange fans as We do photo
graphs.
| We, as foreigners, are supposed to dc
things upside down. In this country the
large, fiat fans are for the use of gentlemen
| but in Japan it would be dire breach oi
| etiquette, as these are used exclusively by
women. The gentleman always carries {
folding fan in his girdle or bosom, usually
elegantly decorated If he is scholar o.
author, when he invites his literary friend
to his house they must go prepared to in
scribe this dainty bit of refreshment otferet
them on arrival. A rack of silver hooks, o
a tubular fan holder is found in every hous
of the least pretention.
Japan uses the fan for a great variety o
purposes; made of stout paper to winno7
grain, for dust pans and charcoal fire blow
ers; OF waterproof paper for dipping il
water and as vaporizer, for producing ex
ira coolness TO the face. There are doubl
winged fans for the juggler, who makes
butterfly of paper flutter up the edge of
sword, for the judges at wrestling matche
and for the dancing girl, who makes her IA
part Of her own graceful motion and claSsi
pose. In charming grace Of manner th
japanese are unequaled, and secret thoug
decorous love is often expressed in artist
use of the fan till consummated by openl
avowed attachment.
As tokens of good feeling and polite attel
ton Americans are not infrequently the r.
cipients of costly fans from their Japane.
friends. On a certain special occasion, a
companying an invitation to dinner, tie
with da!ntiest silk corn on perfumed pape
was tray of confections and sponge cake
' 3 lacGuered box Of exquisite make and a ca!
= of three rare, painted fans, each tied in sil
napkins.
Or. leaving the empire, family wit
whom delightful relations had been esta
lished, sent as a parting gift beautiful go
lacquered cabinet, in one of the drawers
. which was, found a number of perfume
fans OF elegant manufacture, which will
lifelong keepsakes in memory of the ssthet
japanese Helen H. S. Thompson in Got
Housekeeping.