In her reign a fan was deemed an essential part of a lady’s dress, and the handle was often made of gold, silver, or ivory, of curious and expensive workmanship. In a comedy written about this time occurs the passage, “She hath a fan, with a short silver handle about the length of a barber’s syringe;” and a little later, in 1649, Sir William Davenant says, in Love and Honour, “All your plate, Vaso, is the silver handle of your own prisoner’s fan.” Shakspeare, too, repeatedly mentions the fan, as, for instance, in the following passage in Romeo and Juliet, the scene of which is in Italy:—
“Nurse.—My fan, Peter.”
“Mercutio.—Prythee, do good Peter, to hide her face, for the fan’s the fairer of the two.”
And again, in the same play, showing the custom of carrying the fan before ladies:—
“Nurse.—Peter, take my fan, and go before.”
Most writers on costume consider that folding-fans, similar to those used in modern times, were introduced into England, probably from France, in the reign of James I. Fan-painting soon became a distinct profession, but we hear little of the folding-fan during the time of the Stuarts. The small feather-fan still kept its place as full-dress, as is shown by a print of the wife of Sir Henry Garway, who was Lord Mayor of London in 1640, She is represented as holding in her hand a fan similar to those used in the reign of Elizabeth.
By the early part of the eighteenth century the fan seems to have become an object of general use, and to have given considerable employment to painters, engravers, and makers. The manufacture, indeed, became so important that in 1709 the company of fan-makers, which is still in existence, was incorporated by letters patent from Queen Anne. The fraternity was governed by a master, two wardens, and twenty assistants; but they have never had either a hall or livery. The age of Queen Anne produced many distinguished writers, both in prose and verse; and, as we might expect, the fan did not escape their observation. It is mentioned both by Addison and Pope, but more particularly by Gay, who published, in 1714, a poem entitled “The Fan,” where he says:—
“The fan shall flutter in all female hands,
And various fashions learn from various lands.
For this shall elephants their ivory shed,