Any ?old fan? people out there?

[amandainvermont]

Any “old fan” people out there?

This is a fan my mother purchased in the 1950s at the Paris flea market. It seems to be made of a finely ridged paper and decorated with gold gilt. The sticks are wood. Any way to generally date this or describe its style?

 

[Jonathan]

I am not a fan person by any means but I could probalby fake my way at a table of fan people by nodding in approval and knowing which questions to ask... In my very limited knowledge I would think this is a late 19th or early 20th century fan because of the painted and gilded wood sticks, possibly Japanese made for Western export. The sticks are called 'sticks' but for the outer sticks which are called guards, and yours look to be bone. The paper part is the leaf and yours looks like embossed paper that has been hand painted and gilded. It wouldn't have been an expensive one when new but it wasn't cheap either. Probably was purchased at a department store or something like that. All I can suggest is to search fans on eBay and hunt around for similar ones to see what those dealers who probalby know more have dated and priced theirs at. My feeling is this would sell in the $45 - $65 range

 

[pastperfect2]

Like Jonathan, I could fake my way, but am no expert. I agree - 1890 - 1910s, but could be 1880s. And that would be a fair sale price for paper and wood fan. Oddly enough you would think paper is fragile, and yet many of these paper fans survive in better condition than the silk fans which have such a tendency to split along the folds.

You might look for a signature for the artist, often along the guards or on the reverse.

Hollis

 

[The Vintage Merchant]

it does look as if its bone, but by chance that it IS wood, try fanning yourself a bit and sniff...does it smell like sandlewood by any chance? many from the far east were made of sandlewood to create a subtle fragrance when waved.

good luck w/it! its very pretty!

 

[pastperfect2]

Now that I look closely at one of the photos I think I see a paint chip on the guard which means it is wood not bone. Bone and ivory were not painted except in decorative patterns.

I have had sandalwood fans as well, and at least the ones I have seen were left unpainted to let the scent of the wood release. They are quite pretty often in that the sandalwood has extensive decorative pierce work.

Hollis

 

[Jonathan]

Yes, you are right, i see now that the guards are painted wood too. I would think 1890s on the fan then. Those painted woods ones are generally later.