‘The Original Fanology, or Ladies’ Conversation fan,’ was invented by Charles Francis Badini, and published as the Act directs by Wm. Cock, 42 Pall Mall, Aug. 7, 1797.
‘The telegraph of Cupid in this fan,
Though you should find, suspect no wrong;
’Tis but a simple and diverting plan
For Ladies to chit-chat and hold the tongue.’
A fanology fan, of different design but with the same directions, invented by Badini, was published five months earlier (March 18) by Robert Clarke, Fanmaker, No. 26 Strand, London.
The new conversation or tête-a-tête fan gives as a centre medallion Venus robbing Cupid of his Bow, with inscribed compartments on both sides, having reference to the Answer and Question of the Lady to the Gentleman.
The language of the fan has already been referred to in an earlier chapter, portions of the code being given. See Spanish fans, page 137.
Gypsy, fortune-telling and necromantic fans form a large class, and were common during the latter part of the eighteenth century. As early, however, as Aug. 3, 1734, a necromantic fan was advertised in the Craftsman as follows:—