The Fan Collection

Folding Fan, circa 1765-1775

This folding fan, of French origin, is made of ten ivory sticks with gilding in three colors of gold. The guard sticks are pierced and lined with mother of pearl at the leaf end. The paper mount is painted with an eighteenth century genre scene on the front and back. Donated to Historic Northampton from the collection of Edith Huntington Wilson.

Fan made of ivory sticks carved with a rose motif

Folding fan, circa 1855-1860, made of 14 ivory sticks pierced and carved with decorative roses. Pleated mount made of paper, hand-colored. The front of the mount has a sentimental outdoor scene of men and women in 17th-century dress. The reverse features an outdoor scene of peasants, with one engaged in basket-weaving. An off-white ribbon is tied in a bow around the top guard. Rivet with mother-of-pearl buttons and a metal ring. From the collection of Edith Huntington Wilson.

Folding fan with a centrally carved scene

Folding fan made of ivory sticks dating to circa 1770-1780 and a paper mount dating to circa 1850-1855. The 24 ivory sticks are carved and painted with scrolls and flowers in gold, rose, burgundy, blue, green and yellow. The four center sticks are carved with a scene of a male and female figure with birds and a dog. Each guard stick features a carving of a male figure with two birds at top. The front of the mount is made of paper and painted with vignettes of people in pseudo-Elizabethan costume. The back is made of kid leather and painted with a scene of three women and a man in pseudo-18th century costume. Metal rivet with mother-of-pearl buttons. From the collection of Edith Huntington Wilson.

Folding fan, circa 1855-1860

Semi-circular folding fan made of 13 ivory sticks. Each stick is carved in a scallop shell design, pierced and gilded with silver in a rose design. The paper mount features a central scene of two men and two women dressed in 18th-century clothing. Two outer vignettes feature scenes of people wearing Elizabethan clothing. Gold-embossed paper with architectural designs is laid over the vignettes. The back of the mount has a scene of a shepherdess with gold-embossed paper with floral designs laid over the vignette. Rivet with mother-of-pearl washers. Metal ring with a white braided silk cord and tassel. From the collection of Edith Huntington Wilson.

Chinese Folding Fan, circa 1850

Semi-circular Chinese folding fan made of 16 elaborately carved sandalwood sticks. The guard sticks are carved in deep relief with scenes of people, trees and buildings. The paper mount is painted on both sides in bright colors including magenta, blue, green and brown with scenes of people inside and outside various buildings. The clothing of the people is of brightly colored silks and their faces are painted on ivory. Brass loop and pin. Attached to the brass loop are two tassels, one bright blue and one bright pink, each wrapped at top in gold thread.

Shown at left is the original lacquered wooden box painted with gold decoration. The lid features a scene of three people in front of a fence and trees. The box sides feature gold fern-like designs. Side-hinged with single hook closure. The inside lid is lined with salmon silk and painted with swirly designs in pink and green. The inside of the box is shaped like a closed fan and lined with salmon paper.

Jenny Lind type brise fan, circa 1857-1860

Jenny Lind type brise fan, circa 1857-1860, belonging to Mrs. Martha J. Lamb. Made of 16 ivory sticks, pierced and decorated with small gilded leaves. A feather-shaped piece of heavy paper embossed with gold is laid on top of each stick above the shoulder. Marabou feathers have been added to the top of each paper panel. The center six paper panels have a tinted lithographed scene of three women and one man in 1850s costume seated outdoors. The outer paper panels are embossed with a floral and ribbon design in gold and white. A mirror with gold frame is attached to the top guard. Pin with metal flower-shaped washers. Carved metal loop with a white silk tassel with bronze-colored coils tipped with glass beads.

Folding cabriolet fan, circa 1860

Semi-circular folding cabriolet fan of Spanish origin made of 18 wooden sticks, painted black. The sticks are pierced with a floral design and painted gold, blue and red. The top guard stick has an oval mirror with a gold frame. The upper mount is a painted lithograph of people in sentimental 18th-century costume. The lower mount is a painted lithograph of people in peasant costume. The reverse mounts are embossed blue paper. Metal pin with white circular washers.

Brise fan, circa 1840-1850

Brise fan made of 22 wooden sticks, lacquered red-brown and painted in gold with figures, plants and buildings. The top of each inner stick features a Chinese figure. When open, the inner sticks form a continuous scene of people sitting and standing in front of buildings. Black grosgrain connecting ribbon, broken and missing in many places. Rivet with metal ring. The fan is considered to be of Chinese origin and is a good example of a middle quality fan; it is made of different shades of gold but it is not as elaborate as the best.

Folding fan, circa 1740-1750 or 1770s.

Semi-circular folding fan made of 14 pierced ivory sticks. The guard sticks are carved with a floral urn and scroll design and lined with silver paper. Leaf made of punched decoupe silver paper painted in a Chinese style in pink, purple, blue, yellow, green and brown. The painted design includes flowers, bees and a male figure. Metal rivet with mother-of-pearl washers. Based upon the donor's family history, the fan may relate to the Stoddard family of Northampton. Stoddard family weddings include the marriage of Solomon Stoddard to 1. Martha Partridge in 1765 and 2. Eunice Parsons in 1777. Solomon Stoddard's father, John Stoddard, married Prudence Chester in 1731.

View the fan collection in Historic Northampton's Online Digital Collections Catalog.

Photography by Shannon Ryan

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