I can’t believe it’s been a day since the excitement of my first JASNA (Jane Austen Society of America) Annual Meeting. This one was held in Brooklyn, which turned out to be a fabulous place for this Janeite, for I walked over half of the Brooklyn Bridge between sessions and loitered in Brooklyn Heights, a truly wonderful neighborhood in which to while away one’s time. Then there were the plenary sessions, break out sessions and the EMPORIUM, where money flowed from my pocket into the vendors’. (I had to ship my loot back!)
Feather fan. Only some discoloration and one blemish flaw this otherwise remarkably preserved fan.
One of the loveliest displays was the antique fan exhibition presented by Dr. Abbey Block Cash. The variety of fans was astounding. One, made entirely of feathers, was in almost pristine condition (see image). The fans were so delicate that I would be afraid to handle them and many were hand painted. One in particular caught my eye … a puzzle fan from 1820:
The fan is made of French brise with blond horn sticks. The four images that open in four directions are:
- Bouquet of flowers
- Marriage proposal
- Farm house
- Planting scene
I went to the website suggested in the brochure, the Fan Association of North America is: http://fanassociation.org/projects.htm. Information on this site was varied and practical. What I liked in particular were the links to other fan sites. FANA is well worth a visit and exploration if you are interested in these beautiful yet practical accessories.
Not all the fans belonged to the Regency Era. As you can see, most are hand painted with exquisite scenes. The last fan in this video was made ca. 1910 (I hope my memory serves me right) and depicts scenes painted by Kate Greenaway. It is obvious from the quality of the fans that all were destined for the upper crust. I did not see a fan of the sort that the lower classes could afford, such as those with advertisements. (Because I did not see such fans, does not mean that they were absent.)
I wish I had the presence of mind to ask about the language of the fan, for there are so many myths swirling around that topic, but those of you who have been to an AGM know how much there is to see and do, and how many people one MUST meet NOW.
The red fan was exquisite and dramatic. The fan in back of it sports Kate Greenaway images of children.
There were some notable absences at this year’s AGM: I so wanted to meet my frequent blog partner Laurel Ann Nattres (editor of Jane Austen Made Me Do It and Austenprose) and Margaret Sullivant (editrix of Austenblog), but alas they did not come this year. You will see over the coming weeks the people I DID meet, such as Joan Klingel Ray, Susannah Fullerton, Deb Barnum (my lovely roommate), Lori Smith, Syrie James, and Dianah Baycich. Some of us fell all over each other like twins separated at birth. Every Janeite should make at least one JASNA Meeting. You simply will not be disappointed. I must add that the folks from JASNA NY did a splendid job of putting this complex (and largest) JASNA conference together. Kudos to all.
Read my other post from the AGM:
Now I’ve started off my Monday morning jealous. Thanks, Vic. :)
Hopefully one day I will get to one of these – I’ve never heard of them in Australia. Makes me smile to think how astonished Jane Austen herself would be to learn of such an organisation.
Hi Caroline, Susannah Fullterton, president of JASA in Australia, will be holding a fabulous Jane Austen conference in spring of 2013. You MUST go to their site and find out where it will be held. You will not be disappointed.
Is that Australia’s spring and your autumn or the other way around?
I love fans-gorgeous post, Vic. Sadly, I don’t have any, but I think you might just have tempted me to start looking…
Fans decorate my living room and bedroom walls-like portraits or landscapes. I buy them in San Antonio, Texas, where they’re an accessory for Latina dancers. None of them historic or hand painted, alas, but quite pretty with lace and gilt inserts. Will the future ohh & ahh over the mass produced, I wonder?
So glad you had a lovely time, Vic! I was there too and this was my third AGM (attended Chicago in 2008 and Portland, OR in 2010 also). I didn’t have a chance to meet you even though I wanted too-I inquired as to which table you were at for Saturday’s banquet but they cleared the room so quickly after dinner that I missed a chance to come over and introduce myself.
Oh, too bad. I understand it was the largest AGM, and with so many people there (and no list of participants in my packet) it was hard to connect with people. Hope to meet up with you next time.
I don’t think they included a list of participants this year which was a change from the previous AGM’s I’ve attended. Maybe the number of participants made it a challenge to do that! I plan on attending Minneapolis next year (unless life intervenes to change that) so if you are there, I will certainly say hello!
Thank you for sharing this with us. I really enjoyed reading it.
I was also at the AGM, and was also disappointed in the lack of a participants’ list. When I enquired at the registration desk, they told me that printing one was cost-prohibitive, but that they would email the list after the conference to anyone who asked. If you’re interested, even now after the fact, you might try emailing the AGM organizers with a request.
Thanks, Deborah. That is what I am planning to do!
I so wished I got to meet you – I know your roommate from Jane Austen weekends in Vermont and I follow your posts every day and am amazed at the number of topics that you cover and how they relate to our Miss Jane!
Weren’t those fans amazing! I managed to see them just before they packed up. I too loved Brooklyn. Sorry I missed you there, Vic.
I can’t believe we were both there and we never met :(
I SAW you, and wondered why you seemed familiar, but I was always talking to someone. It was so hard to meet everyone. So sorry we missed the opportunity.
I was at the AGM and you are right, so much to do:) I think JASNA-NY did a wonderful job! I wanted to meet the faces behind my favorite blogs, but everyone looked liked they were having too much fun (I didn’t want to interrupt). Thanks for passing along the videos of the fans. I missed that one, but enjoyed all the sessions I attended. Some of my high lights were “off stage” when I visited the Anne Frank Center, ran across the Brooklyn Bridge and saw “Wicked”.
Yes, my walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and 2 hours spent wandering around Brooklyn Heights, having lunch, and gazing at NY from river’s edge were memorable. The Morgan Library was a treat as well. I will be placing TMI on the blog. At the end, folks will be tired of my gushing.
The Compleat Housewife, Jane Austen and Crime, Jane Austen in Lime Regis, four fabulous Rowlandson prints of Dr. Syntax scenes (I will be featuring them), Lady Vernon and her daughter, and others I can’t recall because I packed them as soon as I purchased them. I was tempted to purchase a Bingley’s tea, but I was already overpacked in my small suitcase and worried about the product, which can be ordered online!
Have not read the others you purchased, but you will love Lady Vernon and her Daughter. Definitely try Bingley’s Teas; they are delicious and the proprietress, Julia, is such a lovely person.
What gorgeous fans! And in such good shape, especially the eighteenth century ones. I’ve seen horn brisé fans, but never with that kind of puzzle painting on them.
I did a bit on the “secret fan language” thing, and I’m pretty sure it only seriously existed in Andalusia, and was used as a promotional tool by fan-makers in the later Victorian era.
What exquisite workmanship
Absolutely gorgeous fans. I didn’t really pay attention to them much until menopause. :) now I pay much more attention to fans and the detail. I only have 2 lace fans but none of the ones I’ve been given are finely detailed like these of course. I would have loved to see them myself. Your wandering and convention sounds like a good time.
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Vic!!! It was so wonderful to meet you at the AGM! I wish we’d had more of a chance to talk. It was such a whirlwind that I can’t even remember half of what I did or who I spoke with, but I remember talking to you… And then somehow we got distracted and I think we didn’t get to finish our conversation. Every minute was allocated and not enough time for everything, especially with the two rehearsals we had to squeeze in for our play, The Austen Assizes. I too spent a small fortune at the Emporium, buying blue and white stoneware (pitcher, creamer, plates, and bowls) in a Yorkshire pattern (Laurel Ann inspired the purchase; she collects blue and white stoneware, too), along with a Regency era framed print and two gorgeous shawls. My husband and I both especially enjoyed the Lady Susan performance and Anna Q’s talk. I went to the antique fan talk but somehow missed the exhibition! So glad you recapped it. It was a great time, wasn’t it?
Syrie, I saw that blue and white creamware and was tempted to purchase it, for I too am a blue and white china collector. Great minds, great taste? I think so.
Yes, I had hoped to reconnect with you as well. I have a short video of you and Bill dancing, which I will place on this blog eventually. Alas and alack I am off to another conference and won’t get to the dance videos or Assize videos any time soon. Minneapolis, maybe. Montreal, definitely. Hope to hook up then.
Kudos to you and Diana for writing such a funny and entertaining play!
Reblogged this on Ella Quinn ~ Author and commented:
These fans are so beautiful. Thanks, Vic.
Vic, those fans are so lovely. Thanks for the post.
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These fans are so exquisite. However, I think Japanese fans are some of the most awesome ever made. The detailing in them is superb! http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=antique+japanese+fans
Glad to know you had a great time.
Oh dear, they’re all so beautiful and the puzzle one is so interesting.
It’s nice to hear you all had such a wonderful time at the JASNA Meeting.
Did you observe the circa 1815 fans were markedly smaller than the later ones? Thanks for sharing this great post.
[…] As I only took a few pictures, I direct you to Vic’s fabulous post and videos on this exhibition: https://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/antique-fans-from-the-regency-era/ […]
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