Evening star., 1913-11-17
HISTORY OF THE FAN
Prehistoric Man Knew Its
HOt-Weather Worth.
ADVENT OF ELECTRIC AIR
Savages Use Vegetable Leaves and
Fans Made of Birds Plumage.
Many Wind-Stirring Devices.

PROM the Electric News.
The inhabitants of almost every coun-
try have used fans for thousands of
years. The American Indian utilized for
this purpose the wings of the wild tur-
key and other large birds The fans of
the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of
Peru were made of highly colored feath-
ers and most elaborately decorated. The
1ans OF the wild and Semi-civiIzed ma
lions OF Europe and Asia varied greatly,
from tiny hand fans to huge feathered de-
wees operated by slaves and attendants
Reproductions of fans in the shape of
leaves attached to long handles have
bcen found in ancient monuments in Asia.
Ihcse are called talapat. which signifies
paiin-tree leaf. The talapat is still used
py buddhist priests in the kingdom of
siam. Ancient miniatures show that
some OF I le earliest fans were made of
peacock 4 .tthers or an elaborate combi-
Ha.ion OF feathers. The plumage of birds
ana the different colored grasses doubt
less stimulated the primitive artist, So
arter a while. the fans began to be dec
DATED
The ''punkahr was the Indian name of
the ran This term is also used to desig-
nate the huge fan frame covered with
ciolh which Is suspended from the ceiling
and worked by slaves
Proofs have been found that three
tnOuSdnd years ago AsSyrians had con-
tr1ved some method of refreshing the
ar by artificial breezes. In China and
Japan the bamboo leaf became trans
formed into marvel OF workmanship
The Japanese god of happiness in the
seventh and eighth centuries A. D. is
represented with a folding fan in his
nano chinese artists were probably
the orIginatorS OF the pictorial decora-
t1on on fans. The Japanese have a spe-
Sldi Kind of fan for every use They
nave a. court fan. kitchen or a water
ian. Il dancing fan, tea fan. war fan
and a Kind of bellows fan. In ancient
time the war fan was quite a formidable
weapon 1t was made of leather with
a heavy iron handle.
All kinds of souvenir fans with views
and scenes originate in China or Japan.
Artists and poets have embellished
these fans with wonderful carvings in
IVORY or mother-of-pearl, and with
many kinds of precious wood inlaid
with gold and silver. Little figures are
sometimes wrought in silk embroidery
with delicately carved faces of ivory.
The varied pictures of nature supplied
material to these early artists, aided
BY their own marvellous ina gination.
Fantastic animals, NEUROLOGICAL gods,
curious figures, served to adorn
Celestial fans. and much previous mate
rial and careful la Dor have been lavish
ed upon them Dreadful dragons with
surprising lines and curves in COM
binatioDs Of glowing colors: birds, in
sects and flowers. We're all utilized and
Fan of Princess Pan.
The hrst fan mentioned in Chinese
poetry was that of the Princess Pan,
a. d. 80. She was for time the
faycrite OF the Emperor Chi'eng ST, but
when she found that she was gradually
being forgotten and neglected she sent
TO the emperor a circular fan with
some verses written upon it in which
she described herst'f autumn or
neglected fan. Si &C .hat time, in
China. a neglected .sife Is often called
an autumn fan
Some study into the early history of
the fan reveals the fact that in China
and Japan the fan was an indiSpensa-
BILE weapon against the hot climate and
rhe annoying swarms of insects 1t
was not, therefore. a mere feminine ac-
cesSory. as it later became in England
In the far east prince and priest, SOL
der day laborer mistress and maid
carried the fan for the sake of cool
ness 1t also had its ceremonial uses
1t was used in the salutation and car
ried by all classes.
The fan was n royal emblem in
Egypt ard signified authority. happi-
ness and repose. The fan bearers were
generally persons of royal birth and
were initiated into their office with
elaborate ceremony. Frescoes on an
ancient palace OF Thebes represent fan
bearers carrying semi i-circuiar screen
ladies preferred fans made of pea
cock feathers. as the peacock was the
bird OF Juno and SynboliZed sDlendor
and luxury. As the Romans were
chiefly engaged IN conquests of q mill
tary nature. art industries did not
flourish as sn times of peace The Eo-
mans used the fan. did the earlier
nations, TO enhance their splendid fes-
tiyalS. At banquetS. slaves stood be-
hind the guests and waved enormous
fans made of peacock feathers, gor-
geously coIored and further enriched
with ostrich plumes. IN the hfteenth
and sixteenth centuries. ladies OF the
chief Italian cities carried fans in
which a little mirror was set Accord
ing 10 a charming Spanish legend.
Psyche was asleep one day on bank
of noxers ard Zephyr kept lowering
near her. This made Cupid jealous and
to punish the intruder. Cupid plucked
off one OF Zephyr's wings and gave Ii TO
Psyche that she might always have
cooling breeZes. This is the Spanish
story Of the origin Of the fan.
Addison on Fans.
Early in the eighteenth century the
fan was in genera! among the ladies
of England. ard addison wttily wrote:
..Woinen are armed with fans men
with swords, and sometimes do more exc
cutlon with them.
Al this time the fan was fascinating
trinket if the ina Hds of powerful beauties
and figured in many q political intrigue.
Social events and politics. the follies and
fashions OF the time were depicted upon
them. Scenes from popular plays were
painted upon them while others had the
rules OF various games. Some bore rec
ords OF royal marriages: others were in
scribed with verses contained carica-
lures on social and political. events. After
the French revolution the cupids. roses
and rustic idyls disappeared entirely from
tire fans.
Up to the early eighties the palm leaf
fan and other inexpensive fans of oriental
make were in general use. Fans to be
operated By mechanical power were
hardly possible until the discovery and
development of electricity. While ex-
perina with an electrically driven
propeller for small boat electrical
engineer conceived the idea OF the cleo
tric fan. This was before the perfection
OF the electric generator and electric
service for the home and office. Conse-
quentiy the new fan had 10 be operated
from battery current. Little advance
was made until 1855 when successful
attempt was made to connect the fan
with the electric lighting circuit in place
OF a lamp. The electric fan became popu-
lar at once and the manufacture of fans
began n earnest. couple of years later
the ceiling fan was introduced and since