Chapter I: Preface

It is, perhaps, a little singular that up to the present no work making any pretension to completeness has appeared in English dealing with that little instrument so intimately associated with both civil and religious life of the past, the Fan. Even on the Continent the literature of the Fan is exceedingly scanty. M. Blondel’s work, _Histoire des Éventails_, published in 1875, is but sparsely illustrated, and is mainly based upon the researches of M. Natalis Rondot, whose _Rapport sur les objets de Parure_ was undertaken at the instance of the French Government in 1854. An English translation of M. Octave Uzanne’s brilliant sketch appeared in 1884, and is unillustrated except by fanciful border designs; while Lady Charlotte Schreiber’s stately tomes and Mrs. Salwey’s _Fans of Japan_ deal only with more or less isolated portions of the subject. These, together with _Der Fächer_, by Georg Buss, appearing in 1904, one or two illustrated catalogues and a few desultory magazine articles, form the sum-total of the Fan’s literature. This paucity of book material, and the general absence of information amongst individuals, is at once an advantage and a disadvantage. I have in dealing with this subject such benefits as the breaking of new ground gives; I have at the same time to contend with the difficulty of collecting information from sources so scattered, and in many instances so obscure.

To the works above mentioned, which indeed have been most helpful, it is only justice to add the admirable article on ‘Les Disques crucifères, le Flabellum, et l’Umbella,’ in _La Revue de l’Art Chrétien_, by M. Charles de Linas; the sparkling and entertaining ‘History on Fans’ by Henri Bouchot in _Art and Letters_ for 1883; an excellent article on Chinese Fans by H. A. Giles in _Fraser’s Magazine_ for May 1879; articles in various publications by MM. Paul Mantz and Charles Blanc; all these I have freely used, and gladly acknowledge my indebtedness.

But, since it is scarcely possible, in a subject covering such an extended area, to avoid inaccuracies of some sort, I must endeavour to forestall any possible criticism by saying that no pains have been spared to render the book as free from errors as may be. As to the line illustrations, they must be considered merely diagrammatic, and not in any sense realistic representations of the various objects.

I welcome this opportunity of making what is an unusually long list of acknowledgments of help received. Firstly, to my Publishers for their enterprise, the admirable manner in which the book is produced, and for their uniform courtesy. Secondly, to the many owners of fans, these including the most exalted personages, who have so generously responded to my invitation to lend their fragile treasures.

My thanks are also due to the officials of the various Museums, those of the Print Room of the British, and the National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museums; to Sir C. Purdon Clarke, C.I.E., F.S.A., and his son, Mr. Stanley Clarke of the India Museum; Dr. Peter Jessen of the Kunstgewerbe Museum, Berlin; Professor Pazaurek, Stuttgart; Dr. Hans W. Singer; to Sir George Birdwood, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., who has kindly read the three chapters on ancient fans; to Professor W. M. Flinders Petrie, D.C.L.; Mr. W. Holman Hunt, O.M., R.W.S.; Sir L. Alma-Tadema, O.M., R.A.; the Rev. J. Foster, D.C.L.; the Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Fanmakers; the Librarian at Welbeck; Mr. Wilson Crewdson; Mr. W. Harding Smith; Mr. W. L. Behrens; Mr. R. Phené Spiers; Mr. G. F. Clausen; Mr. J. Ettlinger; Mons. J. Duvelleroy; Mr. H. Granville Fell; Mr. Frank Brangwyn, A.R.A.; Mr. Talbot Hughes; Mr. Frank Falkner, for help in various ways; and last, though by no means least, to Mrs. E. P. Medley, for most valuable assistance in translation.

LONDON, 1909. G. WOOLLISCROFT RHEAD.

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