Evening star., 1894-01-27

In money. 1t is of PAPER elaboratelv ont
70 represent lace and is exauisitely painted
WIN nNe large and several small medal
lions- In the reign Of Louis XVI fans
were made in imitation of the Chinese
spangles were worn, and figures sometimes
We're placed on the guards and set in mo-
ton by a pin beneath
During the Revolutionary Pcr,od
During the revolutionary period sanaa,
and cedar-wood fans cut in fretworb were
greatly in fashion. They were usuaux
mounted with medallions engraved by Bar
toiozzi and others with portraits of Louis
ANi, Lafayette or the taking of the Bas
tile' Mirabeau, Robespierre, the inaugura.
non OF the assembly and representations
Vf the three sisters-Liberty, Equality and
Fraternity.
When Charlotte Corday killed Marat she
carried knife i'm one hand and a fan with
the popular motto, Freedom or death" in
the other. The fan was also used by the
royaists IN order to communicate their
pontlcal sentiments without discovery and
they devised the weeping willow fan the
ieaVes OF which when turned upside down
represented images of Louis XVI. Marie
Antoinette and other members OF the roy al
Iamiiy. They also contrived Transparent
fans, which only revealed their politio al
meaning by being placed against the light
Nine. de Cevennes owed her death to such
ian, and she waved one that she had
Sccietiy procured on the ScarOld. After "a
long period of neglect the fan resumed its
sway 1t so happened that I'm ls29 a grand
can was being arranged at the Tuleries
when several costume quadrilles'' were
TO be danced. Mime. la Duchesse de Berri
was planning the Louis XIV ouadrille and
sought everywhere for fans of his time
Al iength she came across a perfumer who
had collected old fans as an amateur.
Renaissance of the Fam
she bought some of them. which We're
eventually purchased, beginning the re-
naissance Of the fan and the cult of the
fan collecting. This also gave an fmpetus
to the making of fine fans and TODAY Paris
produces more exquisite specimens of fans
than any city in the world. and there IS n
little colony Of fan experts in Paris, some
OF whom earn as much as $500 a year. a
sum equal to what the Empress of Russia
PAID for single sample Several samples
from this school have been exhibited at
the salon. Among these artists each of
whom may command $1,000 for the paint
ing OF the fan without the designing and
carving of the handle. which is a separate
Item, are Lambert, Maurice I,eloir En-
gene Lami and Mile. Abbema who NAV he
said 10 nave fallen heir to the mantle OF
Lancret and Boucher Fan collectinr bar-
ing been instituted by several distinguisbe1
ladies' who are connoisseurs of this beauti-
1ul art, is becoming every day a more FASH
iohooiC Nia1c, but IL is a very expensive
one. The Baroness James RothscniIo ,s
possessed of several of the finest IL nor the
most expensive, fans in the world worra
from $1,000 to s2N0. A beautiful Vatican
specimen is valued at a higher figure. THE
Duchess DAumale has such superb exam
pies at Chantilly as to attract admirers
from all parts of the world whenever she
condescends to display them Many other
private collections exist i'm Paris and Vien-
ma, while Spain is said to surpass France
In her public and private collections. Queen
Isabella of Spain is known to possess 500
magnificent samples. Previous to the
downfall Of the empire the EMPRESS En-
genie had choice collection. and one Of
these designed for her by Gavarnie. is still
hers. though many of the others are scat
tered. The Empress of Russia has a series
which rivals all Others and Lady Charlotte
Schreiber of England has long been amass
ing treasures. which she has Reproduced in
her book on fans, published a few wears
ago. Mrs. Langtry has fine collection
which she keeps in a room designed for
the purpose by Oscar Wilde, and there is
an exceptionally fine one at the South
keEsington Museum in London MANY
well-known ladies i'm New York own yalua
bic fans. Perhaps the best collection as
whole belongs to Mrs. Pinchot. who has a
number of beautiful Spanish and French
fans. most exquisite i'm design and of great
value. ESTHER SINGl ETON