European hand fans in the 18th century

As its name implies, the rigid fan is stiff. Possible fan shapes are a leaf, a rectangle, or an oval. The fan is attached to a base where it is held.[1]

The folding fan was the most popular in Europe during the 18th century, a time known as the golden age of the folding fan.[3] The principal folding fan styles are pleated, brisé, and cockade.[2]

Hand fan 1800 1805

The pleated fan consists of a mount and a set of sticks. The outer sticks (the guards) are wider than the others and are often more decorated. At the base of the sticks is a pivot which connects the fan and allows it to spread and open. The base is either shaped or rounded off.[2]

The brisé fan consists only of a set of sticks. These sticks are attached to a base with a pivot similar to that of a pleated fan. A cord or ribbon runs across the top of the fan, holding the sticks together.[2]

Hand fan 1815 1820

A Parisian Cockade fan of silk and ivory, 1800-1850

A cockade fan opens into a complete circle around the pivot. Their style can be either pleated or brisé. They were not very practical and considered too flamboyant, and thus they saw little popularity.[2]

Sticks and handles could be made of gold, tortoise shell, ivory, mother-of-pearl, horn, or wood. They were often highly decorated. Most sticks and handles were not only made of the previously listed materials, but were inlaid with others. For example, a mother-of-pearl fan could be inlaid with gold. Other sticks were plain.[4]

Previous to 1780, mounts were typically made of vellum or paper. Some, more valuable fans were decorated with materials used for the sticks such as mother-of-pearl.[4] Other decorations included feathers, butterfly wings, silk, gold, and sequins. Although not as common, the 18th century also saw lace fans.[4]

Some artists designed fans which would prevent boredom during a dull event, or would start a conversation. These fans were often covered with riddles and puzzles.[6] Another type of entertainment fan was the fortune-telling fan. These presented questions such as “Whether one is to get Riches; Whether one will be successful in Love; What sort of Husband shall I have; etc.”[1]

The 18th century saw fans which assisted in remembering holidays or that served as maps.[5] The fan, “Map of Warwickshire” is such a fan.[7]

Fans commonly recorded current events.[5] There were souvenir fans that depicted scenes such as Vesuvius erupting and the Coliseum. Others celebrated public events such as a military victory.[1] The fan, “Coronation of George II” shows the banquet of George II and Queen Caroline in Westminster Hall on their coronation day, October 11, 1727.[7]

Classical myths and biblical scenes were frequent during the early 18th century.[1] Fans for church depicted Bible subjects such as Jacob and Rachel or Ruth and Boaz.[5] The fan, “Moses Striking the Rock” shows the Israelite encampment in the wilderness and Moses standing by the rock from which water flows.[7]

Later in the 18th century, rococo pastoral scenes became popular. Landscapes were common as well as images with love and courtship themes. Cupid was often a principal figure on such fans.[1] The fan, “Pastoral Landscape” shows a river landscape with men and women walking by and sheep grazing.[7]

When originated, the fan’s purpose was to cool the face and keep away insects. Before the 18th century their most common use was to keep flies away from church altars.[8] While driving insects away became less and less of a fan’s purpose, the fan continued to serve as a cooling mechanism.[2]

In Europe, fans were not a necessity. They were mainly used as a fashion accessory, to complement the rest of the lady’s outfit. “Fans were as much an adjunct to a lady of fashion’s attire as were gloves or bags.”[2] By the 18th century fans were used only by females. The fan was described as the “feminine accessory, par excellence.”[1]

Subject matter such as historical and political events made fans a means of spreading news or political propaganda. Other fans contained brand names and store fronts and thus acted as advertisements.[2]

Due to their large use and popularity, fans began to affect gestures and thus a fan “sign language” developed between 1711 and 1740.[5] In a 1740 edition of the Gentleman's Magazine, there was an advertisement for “The New Fashioned Speaking FAN!”[1] This “speaking fan” created a system whereby motions of the fan translated into letters of the alphabet. The alphabet, with the exception of J, was split into five sections. These sections corresponded to one of the following movements:

1. Moving the fan with the left hand to the left arm
2. Moving the fan with the right hand to the left arm
3. Placing the fan against the bosom
4. Raising the fan to the mouth
5. Raising the fan to the forehead

In order to signal a letter two movements were necessary. The first corresponded to one of the five alphabet groups, and the second told the letter’s position in the group. For example, to signal “D”, one would use movement 1 (first section of the alphabet), followed by movement 4 (fourth letter in that section of the alphabet).[1]