St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-02
FANMAKING AS AN ART.
Folding Is the Most Difficult
Branch, and We Have to Learn

Folding Is the Most Difficult
Branch, and We Have to Learn
1t Yet.
Nobody in America has quite mas
tered the art of folding fans. That diff
ficult art has been developed best in the
fine French fans that are for sale at
prices ranging from $50 to $500 piece.
LIN folded fan the edges of all the
sticks should be parallel and even, the
shoulders should be of equal height,
and the silken body should be snugly
and evenly disposed within the incloS-
Ing sides. A French fanmaker, unique
among his fellows, having mastered
the whole art of fanmaking, came
to this country not many years ago
and was employed by famous firm to
make fans. lie took charge of factory
and was told to go ahead. He was sup
piled with skilled workmen, and not
uncomf0rtably limited as to expeRd-
iture. For few years the factory
turned out excellent fans. Even the
folding was well done. Then the head
workman died. and it was feared that
with him had almost persisted the art of
fan folding in this country, but he left
his secret behind him. 1t was very
simple secret, the tools being primitive
enough and the process apparently not
difficult, but as the whole art lies in the
delicate manipulation that comes of
long practice, his place has never really
been filled by those to whom he impart-
| ed his secret.
Fan painting of the finer kind is al
most as little practiced in this country
as fan folding. according to the New
York Sun. The same firm that en-
| ployed the French workman sought
hi.rt Ir,.x,
| painter until a young woman with I'M
doubted artistic genius was found. She
| had just sold painting for large
| sum and was asked to paint three fans.
NO limitations in regard to subject.
| time or place were fixed. In the course
| OF time the work was done. but it never
| saw the light. Her genius was not for
fan painting.
Most of the finer fans sold here are
made in Paris and in three or four
suburban villages near by. No fam
maker knows the whole art. All the
! workers in one village make sticks !;
| supply the bows that hold the sticks to-
| gether. The making of the upper sticks
| is trade by itself. After all the parts
| have been made they are sent to the
| great factories In Paris to be put to-
| gether. A fan maker begins his ap-
premiership i'm Childhood. The tools
| are few and simple. Most Of the cary
ing and tiligree work is made with chisel
or scroll saw. The pattern, traced on
paper. is pasted on the piece of bone or
ivory or wood from which the fan stick
is to be made and the filigree is rapidly
! cut with saw. Tortoise shell sticks
are made by special workers in shells.
| That is difficult, delicate and well paid
art. A few skillful shellworkers are in
| New York anu they are among the best
| paid artisans.
The costly part of fine fans is the
| painting. Nc wonder the American
| young woman failed in her untutOred
attempt at the delicate art. Only a few
very clover artists in Paris have attained
reputation as fan painters, and many
a great master in oils would not dare
| risk his name in such work Detaille
has painted few fans with his charac-
| terlStlc military figures, and one of the
1 fans was sold in New York for great
| sum. But Detaille seldom essays such
work. LIE Loire painted fan that was
sold in New York for Sc, COO. Madeleine
Lemaire occasionally paints fan, but
1 it is seldom used except for wall
decoration. Her. prices for such work
are from $1,000 to 5000.
| There is host of comparatively un-
| known artists whose work, excellent in
its way, is seen on fans that cost from
$40 to $50. Some OF them sign assumed
names to their work and all are the hacks
| of the Partisan trade. The really famous
| fan painters of Europe are Albert,
Chesseviere. Houghton, Eugene Ciceri
and Lassallez. Albert is painter of
miniatures, and his training shows in
his work on fans. His figures have a
remarkable beauty of finish. Chesse-
Were is strong in costumes. He delights
in depicting gay groups of Parisians.
Houghton's work is noticeable for deli
cate finish. Ciceri is almost alone in
| painting Alpine scenes. He will cover
the whole face of fan with great
Alpine landscape and one easily recog-
niZable by those familiar with the Alps.
Lassallez is peculiarly rich in coloring.
Fans painted by these artists are sold
| for SIPS to $500 each.