1. "FAN SIGNALS"
Posted by Kat on Jun-29th-02 at 4:16 AM

From the antique fan web-site:


http://www.ideco.com/fans/language.htm


"In the past, fans were used not only as cooling instruments, but also as
convenient communication devices, mainly for transmitting more or less
furtive love messages.
A language of the fan, which is today completely forgotten, was widely used.
... recovered a set of messages pertaining to this
language, which...( are) include here:


 

     The lady shows up briefly at the balcony, slowly fanning herself, and
returns inside, shutting the balcony:
"I can't go out"


     If she appears briefly at the balcony, excitedly fanning herself, and
quickly goes inside, leaving the balcony open:
"I'll go out soon"


     Resting the fan on her lips:
"I don't trust you"


     Fanning herself with her left hand:
"Don't flirt with that woman"


     Running her fingers through the fan's ribs:
"I want to talk to you"


     Slowly fanning herself :
"Don't waste your time, I don't care about you"


     Quickly fanning herself :
"I love you so much"


     Moving her hair away from her forehead.
"Don't forget me"


     Passing the fan from hand to hand:
"I see that you are looking at another woman"


     Hitting her hand's palm:
"Love me"


     Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her left hand:
"I'm engaged"


     Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her right hand:
"I want to be engaged"


     Quickly and impetuously closing the fan:
"I'm jealous"


     Dropping the fan:
"I belong to you"


     Resting the fan on her heart:
"My love for you is breaking my heart"


     Half-opening the fan over her face:
"We are being watched over"


     Hitting any object:
"I'm impatient"


     Hiding the sunlight:
"You're ugly"


     Looking closely at the painting:
"I like you" "


--Young women were actually TAUGHT this flirtacious device in finishing schools, or by chaperone or duenna.  It was a socially acceptable form of silent communication between the sexes, who otherwise might not come any closer of an evening than merely glancing across the room at a gathering.



(Message last edited Jun-29th-02  4:18 AM.)

Ahhh, the age of romance.  Thanks for the info, Kat!  Whatever happened to fans?  What a wonderful flirtatious device! 

Whatta you mean, "Whatever happened to fans?"  I use mine all the time.  Apparently secret languages like this were a Victorian thing.  If you sent someone a bouquet, every flower had a meaning.  (Wonder about all those flowers people sent Lizzie when she was on trial..some of the newspapermen should have tried to read them.)  If you visited and left a calling card, you turned down a certain corner to leave a message.  One might mean, "You have my sincerest sympathy." for example.  Another might simply say, "Sorry I missed you."  I guess people were hungry for amusement, but as I read "Victorian Vistas," I'm sometimes envious, because one could have had a very rich, full life in Fall River, ca. 1890.

  I guess what I mean Edisto is just what you have been talking about, there were hidden meanings in just about everything people did back then.  The hopeless romantic in me comes out!  I love that you use your fan, do you use the language of the fan at all?

I've always loved fans.
I used to take my allowance every week when we lived in Cocoa Beach (yes, Augusta, THE home of "Master & Jeannie"!), and go to the five & dime and buy me a FAN!  A paper and bamboo- limbed fan.  I can still remember the green one, my favorite.  I guess it was my first *collection* of anything, 1961.  They were SO exotic, and the pictures seemed to tell me a vivid story...

(Message last edited Jun-29th-02  11:01 PM.)

Love the romantic subversive stuff as well.  However, I have to wonder if men were actually taught this stuff too, or were as clueless then as they are now re body language, etc.  (Whoops, sorry guys, that's very un-PC of me!)  The simple differences between the sexes makes me wonder if men would take the trouble to pass down these secret codes and/or learn them.  It sounds more like an upper-class type of activity as well.  Also, if EVERYONE knew about it, how secret could these communication signals BE?  In a Devil's Advocate mood today

-And think how funny it would be if you were the only clueless one and somebody was frantically sending you signals that your fly was open, for example?  (That would be tapping rapidly on the middle finger with the fan first opened and then closed.)  Maybe that's why I don't try to use signals.  Probably a lot of us have experienced "sending the wrong signals" without even trying!  Actually, I don't know if my antique fans could stand all that activity.

OH!  My GODDESS!!!  You girls are HILARIOUS!!!

Here is a fan that may have looked close to Lizzie's black bombazine fan.


A charming young lady and her fan.

It looks almost exactly like the fan I carry to Civil War balls.  Unfortunately, I look nothing like the charming young lady!

Oh, Edisto, I'm sure you look every bit as charming in your Victorian dress and fan! 

Can we see?  Can we, Can we???

Susan, I have to say that even now fans are
perfect for flirting, they give a man an
opening line if he is bashful,
I met my last beau & that was what got us to talking, he said
something about my looking pretty with my little
folding fan. So y'all don't give up on the old stuff!

Oh, I agree!  And in my case, I can hide those unsightly bags and wrinkles as I get older.  This reminds me that last weekend I attended yet another high school reunion in North Carolina.  Two women across the table from me came without escorts, and I was treated to a wonderful display of eyelash batting, adoring looks and honeyed words as they chatted up a pair of old geezers who had, like them, come alone to the affair.  Too bad they didn't bring fans with them.

In major university theatre programs, there are often several courses in period styles for actors. I have heard tell they do an entire unit on the fan --- makes a perfect prop and with the signals they give they are an unspoken mode of communication. Besides fans, the classes also devote time to body language. Most interesting is the walking part of such courses. The clothing that was worn in different periods totally affected how people moved and stood and the way they relaxed and sat down. One of the worst things to see is a period play where everyone is acting and moving with contemporary physicality.

For rehearsals of period plays, actresses are trussed up in corsets and long skirts the first day so as to train the body to move properly. I'm not sure how interesting this is to you, but I thougth I'd share.

I personally love it!  I have been involved with theatre before and know exactly what you are talking about, Stefani!

With a corset on, there is almost physically no way to slouch when you sit down, and depending on the corset's length, that can attribute to how one sits and stands and walks.  Men have been lucky throughout the ages, their clothing has pretty much been designed for comfort and mobility, though, there have been some periods in time when they were as trussed up as the women were! 

a fan souvenir from the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 that Lizzie visited:


from:
http://www.the-forum.com/collect/pgwf93.htm

I wonder if Lizzie got one for a souvenir and hung it on the wall of her bedroom? 

Hats are also flattering & so very charming.
I also love handkerchiefs, the dainty vintage ones.
Whenever I am ironing them it always
reminds me of Lizzie.

Ooooo, I haven't used a hankie since I was a little girl!  I think I don't use them now because of the idea of putting nose wipings back into my pocket or purse just does not appeal to me, sorry if I grossed anybody out! 

It is better than using your shirt sleeve.
You can also use them to blot excess shine.