JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
Disclaimer, please? No offense intended, at all, to anyone who has done a ' fan language ' thread- it's extremely pervasive in Victorian lore. We needed fans. We were really, really hot. Sometimes incredibly so, all those layers, no respite from the prudery insisting no air reached an inch of flesh. There seems to have traditionally been some insistence we all spoke with these fans.
It's actually tough finding photos of women and their fans ( Pinterest )
Well... ' The Language Of Fans ' seems to be largely one of those rose-scented, over-heated, lace-made-in-China, reproduction Victoriana schluckfests, in this era- I did say ' largely '. There's some history behind the schluckfest, hang on, before anyone yells at me. First please ask oneself well, ok, imagine a bedecked, bescented and bejeweled be-belle making fine use of her fan. She taps her eye brow twice. Nothing. Other eyebrow. Not a thing. She hits herself over her coifed head with said fan- not a peep from her chosen cavalier. Besides, it's beginning to leave a mark. Why? Because she can make all the hidden, secret signals from 1861 until the Phillies catcher brings the World Series back to Pennsylvania, it doesn't mean her cavalier will have the vaguest clue what in blazes she is trying to indicate. That's why. Do any of these sites ever 'splain how that half of the equation works?
To make your head spin a little, clever marketers printed up ' fan languages ', ON fans, in 1797- with The Ladies Telegraph and The Ladies Conversation. The thing is, both depended on a series of intricate instructions and code- what one's intentions were, to whom and why. It would have to be ascertained what you would wish to say, first, then did your young man have a fan so he could translate? AND- if everyone had this language, may as well throw away all the fans and just say it out loud. What's so secret?
Ladies Conversation Fan , Charles Francis Badini, 1797, The Ladies Telegraph, Robert 1798.
Of course, instructions appeared in the next century- with the same problem. How in blazes did the poor fellow she is signaling understand her endless gyrations? I adore my husband. I also know that I can say the same thing, out loud, three times while looking him in the eyes- and 30 minutes later he has not heard what it is I stated.
In The Swans Shadow
Men are very late developers, is the thing. Young men will be annoyed there is something in front of this woman's face and far from joining her in secretive messages would be far more likely to say " I say, MISS! MISS!! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU BECAUSE THAT BLASTED FAN IS FRONT OF YOUR FACE, WHAT'S THAT YOU SAID?
Mine would have been used to hide pimples.
" It is uncertain whether secret hand fan communication was actually practiced or whether it was just a satirical and cynical ploy used by fan makers to sell their products. "
http://hubpages.com/style/Fanology-The-Secret-Language-of-Hand-Fans
Fans were a lovely addition to wardrobe- necessity turned things of beauty! Wish they'd make a come back.
Fixed Fan, 1890 Pinterest
This is a site, article short but heavily sourced- and not the only one I visited. I'm just extremely suspicious of things which do not make sense- and this really doesn't? Charming, yes, nostalgic certainly- trying to follow the instructions on the printed fans, for instance, your intended would have become engaged, married and raised three children by another woman.
Cavaliers and Ladies, 1860's pinterest
" It seems that if there was any form of communication involving fan movements it had more to do with body language and general flirtatious behaviour, for example acting coy by hiding your face behind your fan, or elegantly lifting your fan to expose your dainty pale wrists. In any case, impracticable and as unlikely as it was, the secret language of the hand fan it is certainly an idea that persists."
You can see by hair styles where this guide-to-fan language comes into History. I don't know. Really not being flippant but think ' I am engaged ' would be achieved by maybe not peeking at someone from around one's fan in the first place? Still maintain that is the entire room understood this language- the girl saying ' Follow Me ' would be watched by the entire room..... as would ' I Love You ' in fan-ese. You just know the local busy-body would make it her business to point each of these out to an entire social gathering, right? " OH Good Glory, if it isn't Miss Hoskins tying her garter in public again! These public displays of affection are positively indecent! Why, I saw her fantell that handsome fiancée of hers she loved him right in the middle of Stanhope's ball! "
Same site, hope it's ok to use her wrap-up. Not being a social usage expert, it just seems excellent. Elegant fripperies
Mary Brice
You can see where women would have wished to include some extremely beautiful works of art in a portrait-
It's actually tough finding photos of women and their fans ( Pinterest )
Well... ' The Language Of Fans ' seems to be largely one of those rose-scented, over-heated, lace-made-in-China, reproduction Victoriana schluckfests, in this era- I did say ' largely '. There's some history behind the schluckfest, hang on, before anyone yells at me. First please ask oneself well, ok, imagine a bedecked, bescented and bejeweled be-belle making fine use of her fan. She taps her eye brow twice. Nothing. Other eyebrow. Not a thing. She hits herself over her coifed head with said fan- not a peep from her chosen cavalier. Besides, it's beginning to leave a mark. Why? Because she can make all the hidden, secret signals from 1861 until the Phillies catcher brings the World Series back to Pennsylvania, it doesn't mean her cavalier will have the vaguest clue what in blazes she is trying to indicate. That's why. Do any of these sites ever 'splain how that half of the equation works?
To make your head spin a little, clever marketers printed up ' fan languages ', ON fans, in 1797- with The Ladies Telegraph and The Ladies Conversation. The thing is, both depended on a series of intricate instructions and code- what one's intentions were, to whom and why. It would have to be ascertained what you would wish to say, first, then did your young man have a fan so he could translate? AND- if everyone had this language, may as well throw away all the fans and just say it out loud. What's so secret?
Ladies Conversation Fan , Charles Francis Badini, 1797, The Ladies Telegraph, Robert 1798.
Of course, instructions appeared in the next century- with the same problem. How in blazes did the poor fellow she is signaling understand her endless gyrations? I adore my husband. I also know that I can say the same thing, out loud, three times while looking him in the eyes- and 30 minutes later he has not heard what it is I stated.
In The Swans Shadow
Men are very late developers, is the thing. Young men will be annoyed there is something in front of this woman's face and far from joining her in secretive messages would be far more likely to say " I say, MISS! MISS!! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU BECAUSE THAT BLASTED FAN IS FRONT OF YOUR FACE, WHAT'S THAT YOU SAID?
Mine would have been used to hide pimples.
" It is uncertain whether secret hand fan communication was actually practiced or whether it was just a satirical and cynical ploy used by fan makers to sell their products. "
http://hubpages.com/style/Fanology-The-Secret-Language-of-Hand-Fans
Fans were a lovely addition to wardrobe- necessity turned things of beauty! Wish they'd make a come back.
Fixed Fan, 1890 Pinterest
This is a site, article short but heavily sourced- and not the only one I visited. I'm just extremely suspicious of things which do not make sense- and this really doesn't? Charming, yes, nostalgic certainly- trying to follow the instructions on the printed fans, for instance, your intended would have become engaged, married and raised three children by another woman.
Cavaliers and Ladies, 1860's pinterest
" It seems that if there was any form of communication involving fan movements it had more to do with body language and general flirtatious behaviour, for example acting coy by hiding your face behind your fan, or elegantly lifting your fan to expose your dainty pale wrists. In any case, impracticable and as unlikely as it was, the secret language of the hand fan it is certainly an idea that persists."
You can see by hair styles where this guide-to-fan language comes into History. I don't know. Really not being flippant but think ' I am engaged ' would be achieved by maybe not peeking at someone from around one's fan in the first place? Still maintain that is the entire room understood this language- the girl saying ' Follow Me ' would be watched by the entire room..... as would ' I Love You ' in fan-ese. You just know the local busy-body would make it her business to point each of these out to an entire social gathering, right? " OH Good Glory, if it isn't Miss Hoskins tying her garter in public again! These public displays of affection are positively indecent! Why, I saw her fantell that handsome fiancée of hers she loved him right in the middle of Stanhope's ball! "
Same site, hope it's ok to use her wrap-up. Not being a social usage expert, it just seems excellent. Elegant fripperies
Mary Brice
You can see where women would have wished to include some extremely beautiful works of art in a portrait-
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