Ladies....the Language Of Fans

Custers Luck

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Location
Chesterfield VA.
WELL who knew this, I guess they were not only used for the warmth of the day....
dscn0863.jpg
il_570xN.361355568.jpg
 
Well... that's a modern-typeface sign credited to a modern house museum, a common way that historical misinformation gets spread.

Before we accept it as gospel, can anyone document the list to a primary source, or document that there was any similar codified language of the fan generally used in the period? The earliest I can find is an 1867 virtually identical list applying it to handkerchiefs, not fans, and numerous earlier references in US publications to foreigners having an undefined language of fans, metaphorically referring to how expressively they moved their fans. The 1867 handkerchief language carries the odd introduction that it was fashionable in eastern cities and might be adopted "here"--yet the magazine was published in New York City. So it was either an article picked up from elsewhere or "eastern" meant oriental.

There's some modern commentary about the language of the fan here: http://walternelson.com/historia/2006/05/pet_peevethe_language_of_the_f.html
From that link:
Pet Peeve--The Language of the Fan
It never seems to fail: when a docent or re-enactor group decides to do something on "Victorian Etiquette", they haul out "The Language of the Fan"... The notion is that there was this universally understood form of semaphore which was somehow used to convey secret love messages between young ladies and young gentlemen...
The best that can be said about it though, is that it MAY have been mentioned in a period source, but there is no evidence that I have found that would suggest that it was ever put into real practice. It would appear that it never caught on.

Also, here:
http://theclementslibrary.blogspot.com/2012/06/from-stacks-victorian-courtship-and.html
From the above link:
"Unfortunately, the fan language--and other, similar codes like the language of the handkerchief and the language of the parasol--were largely the result of advertising campaigns meant to popularize and sell accessories. There is little evidence that the fan language was ever in widespread use, though the concept was satirized by several writers in the 18th and 19th centuries."

So here's a good chance for someone to document the list to the period and show whether it was commonly used among fashionable young women.

My own pet peeve: when "men's history" (guns, politics, uniforms) gets careful, skeptical, detailed research, but "women's history" (foodways, domestic life, fashion) is treated as if it really doesn't matter whether it's right because it's just for fun.
 
I'd take exception to that anyway, after I come up for air- that was fall-down funny as usual BillO. I'm not so sure it's true- I don't know where CL got her list of behaviours associated with fans, but to equate that with an across the board declaration that because there exists somewhere a light hearted explanation of a kind of sociological ' fan dance ' of a certain era, there's just no attention paid to detailed research on women's History, is a purdy fur stretch. I'd say here's a good chance, first, to proove that before someone has to spend time chasing fans across the Carolinas. I'll by pass the ' just for fun ' aspect of the commentary, on anything attached to life concerning half the population in the Civil War era although will agree on one thing. It does matter.
 
I don't know where CL got her list of behaviours associated with fans,

You can see the source printed right on the bottom of the card, in the photo in the OP: http://www.bkhouse.org/

but to equate that with an across the board declaration that because there exists somewhere a light hearted explanation of a kind of sociological ' fan dance ' of a certain era, there's just no attention paid to detailed research on women's History, is a purdy fur stretch.

I didn't say that no attention is paid. I said that my pet peeve is when women's history is treated as if it really doesn't matter whether it's right because it's just for fun. As in this thread.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding. I was thinking the "Ladies Tea" section was for historic discussions same as the military sections, except on topics having to do with women of the period. If it's more for posting jokes and silly stuff even if known to be inaccurate, then I was in the wrong to treat the OP as if it was supposed to be actual information about the period, and I'll let y'all have your fun.

Where should discussions about actual women's history be held? Do they go in the Civil War History--General Discussion section? My mistake.

Hey, did you know that women in the 1860s used to have ribs removed so they could fit in their corsets better? And the leading cause of death among women was their skirts catching fire?
 
I also did a little research on fan language and found this:
Although a detailed list like the one posted at the beginning of the thread seems to have been used for marketing purposes rather than having been common knowledge of the ladies of the era, there was a kind of “code“, which was used to signal certain emotions. This code was first described in a French book from the 18. century: “Le livre de quatre couleurs / Louis-Antoine Caraccioli. - Paris: Duchesne, 1760“ (can be found in books.google.de). But it was much less elaborate than the example above, the fan was simply used to enhance body language and even nowadays those signals could be more or less easily understood. For example dropping the fan while passing a possible suitor would provoke him to hand it back to a lady and thus he was able to start a conversation (which otherwise was impossible because a gentleman could not simply address a young lady, that was regarded as bad manners). For that purpose a handkerchief could be used as well, which James B. White has already remarked.
But historically accurate or not, I like those finds and must say that I also think the “Ladies Tea“ is the right place to communicate them. A tea hour is no historic seminar and although I do highly appreciate the opinion that women's history should be respected, I think we should also be allowed to have a little fun.
 
"Perhaps I'm misunderstanding. I was thinking the "Ladies Tea" section was for historic discussions same as the military sections, except on topics having to do with women of the period. If it's more for posting jokes and silly stuff even if known to be inaccurate, then I was in the wrong to treat the OP as if it was supposed to be actual information about the period, and I'll let y'all have your fun."

I think you should let us all have our fun regardless, since flat History is fun, FUN is fun, and it is not snarky but true to say it is a form of fun I have never found appealing personally to plain, old be unpleasant to and about other people. Nor have I ever understood it, true story.

Ladie's Tea is a lot of things, but what it is not is a section of an extremely good forum open to judgement by Opinionators, wearing tin hats and wielding oversize egos. Constructive input, Historical commentary, anything pertaining to women of the era and yessireee, some fun also. Should I receive a warning or a request for better direction here from the owner or moderators, will certainly replace the elastic in my socks, pull them all the way up in whatever way I am told I am lacking. By one of them. I am responsible to them, to Women in general, of the era and this one, and myself for having accepted a responsibilty. Also have zero intention of turning this into a back and forth, it ends now. You are very welcome to add to the positive flow here, to kindly and constructively add to the knowledge base, be part of the community.

Other than that, Chill.
 
I always just thought it meant the lady was hot….and in need of cooling down….or had gas…

shows you what I know…..fascinating….
 
For some reason, the discussion about fans reminded me of a scene in Little Women, which I have not read in many years, in which Meg and Jo are going to a dance, but Jo has spoiled her gloves and can't possibly dance without them. Since Meg won't go without her, they each wear one clean glove and carry one spoiled one. Just reminded me of some other rules for female behavior of the era.

The comment about causes of death for women in the 19th Century made me think about two family tragedies in my husband's civil war veteran great grandfathers' families. Each had female relatives whose clothes caught on fire and they burned to death, one a wife, one a daughter.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top