Victorian Fans at the Erwin-Stover HouseFrom the collection of Mary Eleanor Freeborn and Barbara V. Kuter, 1982
Rose Warrington / plumbeotype from life, artist James Queen Fuller, photographer, John Plumbe, circa 1847
A Brief History of Fans in America
Brise Fans—before 1840
The styles of fans that were popular among women during the early 1800s were referred to as “brise fans.” These small, delicate fans were constructed from pierced pieces of ivory or wood that were tied together.
Fans—1840-1860
Beginning in 1840, fans started to become larger and more opulent in design. They were an essential accessory for the women of the upper class. They typically measured 6” - 10” in length. Their sticks were manufactured from stiff materials like wood, bone, or ivory. These were inlaid often featuring organic floral patterns, and could also feature images of landscapes or animals such as birds or fish on the leaves. Many were imported from China, Japan as well as France.
Fans-1860-1890
In the late 1800s, fans also became much more substantial. The average size for fans from 1880 onward ranged anywhere from 14” - 16” in length. These fans opened with merely the flick of a wrist. They were painted or embroidered with vibrant colors, decorative scenes, and intricate artwork.
Soon fans became mass produced making them popular with the middle class as well. Cheaper materials like thin, balsam wood started to be used and patterns could be printed. By 1875, fans were a commonplace accessory for ladies of all social classes.
Fan Flirtations
During an era when women were expected to be demure and passive in the pursuit of romance, a unique cultural language developed around the fan, now carried by most women in social situations. The fan was used to convey secret messages to potential suitors. How fans were held and used could alert someone of the opposite sex, as to whether the fan holder was attracted to them or not.
There were many movements that Victorian women used to invite - or discourage - a suitor from making amorous advances. A women carrying an open fan in front of her face in her left hand or meant she was “desirous of an acquaintance.”
Carrying an open fan in her left hand regardless of its placement expressed that she wanted a man to talk to her. An open fan in her right hand also said, “follow me.” If she had an open fan by her side, it meant that a Victorian woman wanted a man to wait for her.
Slowly waving a fan expressed that the woman was already married. Rapidly waving a fan expressed that she was engaged. If a woman touched an almost-closed fan to her lips, however, it meant that she was desirous of a kiss. Drawing a closed fan across her cheek let him know “I love you.”
Fans from the Erwin-Stover House
Feathers
As fans became more popular, their appearance and design became much more elaborate. Fans made of quills or feathers became in vogue and often were dyed attractive colors to make them even more appealing.
the 1870s, ostrich feathers were the material of choice when it came to decorative fans. Typically monochromatic in design, fans manufactured from ostrich feathers also included tortoise shell sticks to enhance their appeal.
Chantilly lace eventually replaced feathered fans as the newest fashion
The folding, pleated ‘concertina’ fan, of paper or textile, is perhaps the most familiar and is one of the familiar forms of Chinese and Japanese fans.
Cheaper materials like bamboo and balsam wood made fans more affordable
Printing and mass production of paper made fans more affordable as well, spreading their use among all social groups.
It was typical to see hand painted images of flowers decorating 19th- century hand fans. The most common flowers were roses, tulips, daisies, lily of the valley, pansies, poppies and violets. The flowers selected for the fans had hidden meanings. Fans displaying roses indicated love, while forget-me-nots might indicate remembrance of a loved one in times of mourning .
Cockade fans, which have only two outer guards rather than a multitude of inner sticks, and that open to form a full circle, can be pleated or brisé construction.
Joseph Addison wrote a satirical article in The Spectator, "That Women are armed with fans as men with swords, and sometimes do more execution with them." He continued, "There is an infinite variety of motions to be made use of in the Flutter of a Fan. There is the angry Flutter, the modest Flutter, the timorous Flutter, the confused Flutter, the merry Flutter, and the amorous Flutter."
This presentation was created by Amy Hollander, Historic Properties Manager for the Bucks County Parks and Recreation Department