FANS AND ALL THAT JAZZ

Fun loving adventurous young women of the 1920’s were often called “Flappers” because their shoe buckles would "flap" when they danced. Their hairstyle was short and bobbed, their dresses were short, sleeveless and baggy, and they wore make-up, which they often applied in public. This was all considered a bit shocking at the time. The fans below were from that period in time, and most likely could have been worn by a fashionable Flapper!

These brightly dyed ostrich feather fans have celluloid sticks made to resemble tortoise shell. Celluloid is the generic name for the first commercially successful cellulose nitrate based thermoplastic. The teal blue fan has 6 sticks and is marked “Eisemann”, made by the Eisemann Feather Fan Company of New York City. The Eisemann trademark was a small diamond usually found in the loop on their fans. The fuchsia fan has 3 sticks and has no marking. Both fans are approximately 29” long.

Patented in France in 1924, these fixed fans are made of celluloid discs attached to steel rods. They are very effective in circulating air when moved back and forth. These fans are 9" long.

The “Faery Fan” is a 6 ½" long hand held celluloid fan that perfumed the air when fanned. It was patented in the in 1920 in the United States. The instructions say to insert a few drops of your choice perfume in a small round hole neat the upper handle. The constant flow of air, when the fan is in motion, will create a pleasing result. A price sticker on the fan indicates it was purchased for 75¢ from the J.W... Robinson & Co. that is now Robinson May, a California based department store.

Compact fan combinations were quite popular during this period. This rare and wonderful example is pictured both opened and closed, at 4" in length. On the left we see how it would appear closed, with paste and steel piqué decoration dangling from a cord on a flapper’s wrist. When opened a compartment, complete with a mirror, powder puff and lipstick, is revealed.

Pressing the metal thumb plunger, activates the blades on this celluloid mechanical fan. This cooled the flapper after dancing, and cleared smoke. Although most examples are English and called “La Brisé”, this example is smaller and is marked "Salve". Removing the cap reveals a compartment containing a powder puff. The fan has an open span of 5½".

This 15½" long curled ostrich feather fan provided even more room for necessities as it also functions as a purse. The center “faux” fan sticks have a latch at the left, which lifts up to reveal a satin lined mirrored bag with two compartments decorated with rosette ribbon trim. The lid is marked “Eventail Sac Depose”. The Eisemann Feather Fan Company copied this rare French creation for the American market, but their fan purse had celluloid sticks.

As the “roaring 20’s” progressed, women were smoking cigarettes and therefore needed to free their hands. The Eisemann Feather Fan Company made this 29” long single "Tango orange" ostrich feather fan that conveniently dangled from a tortoise colored celluloid bracelet stamped with the Eisemann trademark inside.

All of the celluloid fans pictured on this “Fans, And All That Jazz” page can be found in my book “CELLULOID HAND FANS”. To order, CLICK HERE!

Please bookmark this site and check back frequently as my "Featured Fans" page changes seasonally.

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