Fans to waft the spring breezes in a bit sooner if only in your mind. The latest fans from Fan d’Eventails, Paris.

Tortoiseshell brisé fan, finely pierced and carved. 19th c. Chinese. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/oriental-fans/4608-chinese-tortoisehell-19th-century-fan.html

Gallantry fan with a painted leather leaf and mother-of-pearl sticks and guards. by Jeanne Cahulle for the fan-maker Alexandre. Late 19th c.French. Signed Jeanne Catulle and on the reverse Alexandre. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4614-gallantry-fan-by-jeanne-cahulle-for-alexandre-late-19th-century.html

Hermes et Herse fan. Tortoiseshell brisé fan, pierced and painted with a central panel depicting an episode from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The gorge is painted with chinoiserie motifs; The guards are carved, engraved, and gilded with floral and bird motifs.circa 1690-1720. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/18th-century-fans/4604-hermes-et-herse-eventail-vers-1700.html

Japanese birds fan. Lacquered Brisé fan. ca. 1900. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/oriental-fans/4628-japanese-birds-fan-circa-1900.html

New fans from Fan d’Eventails, Paris. I’d add something about summer breezes but we’re into the next snowstorm here. Please hope I don’t get snowed in! Thanks!

Bergerade fan. Skin leaf painted with a gallant pastoral scene and sculpted, pierced and engraved sticks and guards, decorated with gold and silver leaf and burgau. ca. 1760. Maker not known. Image credit and © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/18th-century-fans/4602-bergerade-fan-circa-1760.html

Hand-fan with a paper leaf printed with birds and insects and wooden sticks and guards, the guard applied with a metal insect that I think is a ladybug. Maybe not. Late 19th c. Maker not known. Image credit and © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4595-birds-and-insects-late-19th-century-fan.html

Fan with tortoiseshell sticks and guards, the silk leaf embroidered with butterflies and cicadas. 19th c. Made in China. Maker not known. Image credit and © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/oriental-fans/4600-butterflies-and-cicadas-19th-century-chinese-fan.html

Golden pheasant fan with a painted gauze leaf and wooden sticks and guards. ca. 1890-1900. Ronot-Tutin, maker. Signed Ronot-Tutin. Image credit and © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/new-fans-february-2026/4593-golden-pheasant-by-ronot-tutin-fan-circa-1890-1900.html

Hand fan with tortoiseshell sticks and guards with marquetry using Himalayan monal feathers. ca. 1900. Maker not known. Image credit and © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/feather-fans/4599-himalayan-monal-feather-fan-circa-1900.html

Hand-fan with a lace and red gauze leaf painted with roosters. Wooden sticks and guards with the top of the main guard carved with a polychrome rooster’s head. ca. 1890-1910. Maker not known. Image credit and © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4591-roosters-fan-circa-1890-1910.html

The Owl hand fan with wooden sticks and guards and a gauze leaf painted with an owl and embroidered with sequins. ca. 1909. Liberty and Company. They were/still are based in London but opened a Paris store in 1889-1890. Liberty still sells beautiful floral fabric but in 1909 they were selling fans, silver and many other Aesthetic Movement objects, too. Image credit and © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/art-nouveau-fans/4577-the-owl-by-liberty-co-fan-circa-1909.html

Hand-fans found in a current Bonham’s auction catalogue. So pretty!

Two blonde tortoiseshell and Brussels Point de Gaze lace folding fans. The first fan with a fine lace leaf with meandering floral sprays and scattered dragon flies within scrolling floriate borders, the plain sticks with foliate pierced ribs, the guards also plain, with matching metal mounted rivet, with A Rodien retailers card box. The second fan similarly with a fine lace leaf with dense all-over floriate scrolling sprays and flowers within scrolling floriate borders with scalloped edges, the plain sticks with foliate pierced ribs, the guards also plain, with matching metal mounted rivet. Late 19th c. Probably Franco-Flemish. Image © Bonhams 2001-2025. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auction/31230/lot/102/two-continental-blonde-tortoiseshell-and-brussels-point-de-gaze-lace-folding-fans-probably-franco-flemish-late-19th-century-2/

A tortoiseshell and black Chantilly lace folding fan and a similar mother-of-pearl and black Chantilly lace folding fan. The first with a finely worked leaf decorated with a panel of delicate flowers, foliage and scrolls centred by a bouquet below an further garland and set within foliate borders on a net ground applied to an ivory backing, the reverse lined black, the plain sticks with concealed ribs, the similar guard sticks with an applied carved interlaced scrolling mount, with D shaped swing handle. The second with an unusual finely worked leaf decorated with a Chinoiserie figural frieze centred by a Chinaman (sic) smoking a long pipe within an open gazebo, and flanked by two pairs of tall palm trees and a pair of elaborate pagoda temples and two similar further figures, all within scrolling borders on a fine hexagonal net ground applied to a ivory satin backing, the reverse lined pale pink, the plain sticks with concealed ribs and matching plain guard sticks, with paste set rivet. French. 1850-1875. Image © Bonhams 2001-2025. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auction/31230/lot/101/a-tortoiseshell-and-black-chantilly-lace-folding-fan-and-a-similar-mother-of-pearl-and-black-chantilly-lace-folding-fan-french-third-quarter-19th-century-2/

A collection of ten Japanese folding fans in tortoiseshell, bamboo and wood and lacquered and inlaid wood, some with painted silk or paper leaves, two of brisé form, together with a small Chinese export paper and bamboo folding fan. The Japanese fans comprising a tortoiseshell example with lacquered guard sticks, the satinised paper leaf with a rustic figural landscape decoration, with ivory shibiyama ball corded silk tassel, a carved and pierced wood and ivory and mother of pearl inlaid example, the silk leaf painted with cranes, the guardsticks with bird, temple and musician decoration, with beaded silk tassel, three brisé examples, two of tortoiseshell, one with Shibayama decoration, the other of wood with gilt and silvered lacquered decoration with Shibayama inlaid ivory ball corded silk tassel and a wooden example, the leaf with gilt and silvered decoration of birds, bamboo, flowers and foliage, two bamboo and paper folding dance fans with colourful Iris and blossom and autumn leaf decoration, a bamboo and painted paper example, with lacquered guards, the corded tassel with ivory Shibayama plaque with insects, a Shibayama decorated bamboo example, the printed and embroidered silk leaf decorated with birds on flowering boughs, the guardsticks with mother of pearl, painted bone and hardstone inlaid decoration, a white wood folding brisé fan with painted rustic figural landscape decoration, the reverse with a flowering standard wisteria and pheasants, the small Chinese painted paper and bamboo fan with figural decoration on a black ground. 19th and early 20th c. Image © Bonhams 2001-2025. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auction/31230/lot/108/a-collection-of-ten-japanese-folding-fans-in-tortoiseshell-bamboo-and-wood-and-lacquered-and-inlaid-wood-some-with-painted-silk-or-paper-leaves-two-of-brise-form-together-with-a-small-chinese-export-paper-and-bamboo-folding-fan-19th-century-and-early-20th-century-11/

A mother of pearl and Irish Carrickmacross lace folding fan, together with a similar period blonde tortoiseshell, needlepoint lace and painted silk folding fan and a similar period horn and painted silk and gauze folding fan. The first fan with a leaf worked with meandering leaves and flowers within a floral ribband border on a fine net ground, the plain sticks with pierced bone ribs, the guard sticks also plain, with matching rivet and plain metal D shaped swing handle, the second with a needlepoint lace leaf and applied painted silk figural cartouches depicting courtly figures in 18th century style dress, the plain sticks with corresponding ribs to the rear, the obverse guard with applied yellow? metal and inset gem? stone (both untested) scrolling leafy flower mount, the third fan with a satin leaf painted with a scene of a pair of 18th centruy style courtly lovers, the painted scrolling and floral painted gauze borders with applied gold sequin borders, the sticks with foliate gilt scrolling decoration, each side with a pair of concentric large and small mother of pearl backed roundels, the guards sticks with continuations of the larger roundel mouldings, the gilt metal D shaped handle with inset green paste rivet. Continental, late 19th c. Image © Bonhams 2001-2025. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auction/31230/lot/109/a-mother-of-pearl-and-irish-carrickmacross-lace-folding-fan-together-with-a-similar-period-blonde-tortoiseshell-needlepoint-lace-and-painted-silk-folding-fan-and-a-similar-period-horn-and-painted-silk-and-gauze-folding-fan-continental-late-19th-century-3/

Three commemorative printed and hand coloured folding fans. The first commemorating the arrival of Ferdinand I of the two Scillies to Naples, circa 1816(?), the paper leaf printed to the obverse with a hand coloured view of the royal couple arriving in the city reserved on an abstracted landscape ground, the reverse with a vignette of the their ships arrival in the harbour with foliate gilt borders, the sticks and guards of black stained wood with mother of pearl rivet, the second commemorating The Assembly of Notables, circa 1767, the hand coloured paper leaf decorated with a central figural scene of Louis XVI, high ranking nobles and the clergy with inscribed text and date 1787, with stained wood sticks and guard sticks, with brass and copper rivet, the last commemorating the Constitution of Spain, Cortes, Cadez, March 18, 1812, the obverse leaf with hand coloured figural decoration flanked by coats of arms and insignia within pink banded border, the ivory painted sticks and guard with gilt metal D shaped rivetted handle. The first probably Italian, early 19th century, the second French, late 18th century, the third probably Spanish, late 18th century. Image © Bonhams 2001-2025. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auction/31230/lot/113/three-continental-commemorative-printed-and-hand-coloured-folding-fans-the-first-probably-italian-early-19th-century-the-second-french-late-18th-century-the-third-probably-spanish-late-18th-century-3/

More Art Deco era hand fans from Fan d’Eventails Paris, all of these with a bit of orange though far less than a fall farmstand filled with pumpkins has.

Black sunflower fan, the black fabric leaf being painted with stylized sunflowers. Black synthetic sticks and guards, the guard applied with a sunflower. ca. 1925-1930. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/art-nouveau-fans/4539-tournesol.html

Advertising fan for Galeries Lafayette in Paris and its many branches around the world. Rigid cardboard fan printed from an illustration by Jack Roberts. ca. 1931. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/advertising-fans/4536-aux-galeries-la-fayette-eventail-publicitaire-d-apres-jack-roberts-vers-1931.html

Phosphorescent advertising fan for the Lumineux Radiana, phosphorescent advertising fan for the firm Radiana. Paper leaf printed with phosphorescent ink and wooden sticks and guards with the luminous effect in the dark only lasting a few seconds. Inscribed LUMINEUX RADIANA _ Bté S.G.D.G. 23, Bd des Italiens _ PARIS and Éventails CHAMBRELENT, PARIS. with Fernand Sauvagé via his company Radiana having filed for a patent for ‘luminous ink for printing’ on May 6, 1922. ca. 1925. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/advertising-fans/4557-radiana-eventail-lumineux-vers-1922-23.html

Radiana phosphorescent ‘luminous’ fan. Balloon-shaped fan, the white leaf with mechanical lace applied to tulle, decorated with flowers and dots applied with phosphorescent paint with the luminous effect in the dark only lasting a few seconds. Bone sticks and guards. Fernand Sauvagé via his company Radiana filed for a patent for his ‘luminous ink for printing’ invention on January 31, 1922. ca. 1922-1923. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/novelty-hands-fans/4532-radiana-eventail-lumineux-vers-1922-23.html

Flamenco dancer fan. A large balloon-shaped fan with black tulle applied with painted silk depicting a flamenco dancer and embroidered with sequins. Blackened wooden sticks and blue synthetic guards. Art Deco. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/art-nouveau-fans/4544-danseuse.html

Hand fans from the October email of Fan d’Eventails Paris. Perfect for wafting that potpourri scent along.

Biarritz souvenir fan with a red gauze leaf painted with flowers and birds and embroidered with beads, forming, once the fan is folded, the name of the city Biarritz. Wooden sticks and guards. ca. 1890. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/novelty-hands-fans/4481-biarritz-beads-fan-circa-1890.html

Hand fan with engraved sticks and guards, the paper leaf printed and engraved with allegories of the four seasons and Scandinavian runes, probably from the younger Futhark (a type of runic alphabet in use from the 9th century Viking period). ca. 1730-1740. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/18th-century-fans/4482-mysterious-runes-fan-circa-173040.html

Hand fan with an embroidered and painted silk leaf depicting a scene in which a cat is surprised by the flight of a hot air balloon. Wooden sticks and guards. Late 19th century ish. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4484-cat-in-the-hot-air-balloon-late-th-century-fan.html

A heat wave to pretty up and the perfect solution. Antique hand fans to make your own breeze, from the latest email from Fan d’Eventails, Paris.

Arabic dance card fan. Peau d’âne (cardboard) painted with a woman dressed in oriental style with what are probably bone guards which are encrusted with sequins and feature a small pen nestled at the top of the main guard. 1815-1925. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4442-arabic-dance-dance-card-fan-circa-1815-25.html

Pair of advertising hand-fans with paper leaves and wooden sticks and guards. Art Deco period. One for the Casino des Fleurs in Vichy, signed by Riom and the other signed by Umberto Brunelleschi. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/advertising-fans/4429-belles-orientales-eventails-de-riom-et-brunelleschi-periodeart-deco.html

Chinoiserie painted brisé horn fan. ca. 1820-1830. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4443-chinoiserie-with-acrobats-fan-circa-1820-30.html

Memories of a trip to Egypt fan. Broken wooden fan, re-pierced and painted with several views of Egypt: on one side, the Great Gate of Karnak, the island of Pirilé (Philae?) and the Ibn Touloun Mosque in Cairo; on the other side, the Nile floods of 1866 (localized in French) and blessings to the Prophet in Arabic. Signed and dated C. Gaber 1867. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4432-memories-of-a-trip-to-egypt-fan-circa-1867.html

Fan from the East India Company for the Western market. Skin leaf, mounted in the English style, finely painted in gouache with a scene of trade or judgment between Chinese protagonists, on a pink background imitating wood and a trompe l’oeil ribbon frame
The reverse side is painted with peonies and cherry blossom branches. Finely pierced sticks and guards engraved with geometric decorations and floral motifs. ca. 1760-1770. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/18th-century-fans/4435-that-s-him-east-india-company-fan-circa-1760-70.html

A new grouping of beautiful hand-fans, taken from the July email from Fan d’Eventails, Paris.

Souvenir fan for the Exposition Universelle, held in Paris, France, from April 14 to November 12, 1900. Wooden sticks and guards, the paper leaf being printed with a view of the Porte Monumentale, designed by the architect René Benet. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/historic-fans/4410-1900-paris-exposition.html

Hand fan with mother-of-pearl sticks and guards, the fabric leaf being painted with a view of a bay somewhere in the world. Late 19th c. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4413-3.html

Fan with blond tortoiseshell sticks and guards and a silk leaf painted with a scene depicting a rider in a valley somewhere in Switzerland with a view of snow-capped mountains in the distance. ca. 1890-1900. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4392-a-valley-in-switzerland-fan-circa-1870-1900.html

Hand-fan, the fabric leaf painted with a view of Guernsey. ca. 1900. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4409-guernsey-fan-circa-1900.html

Large fan with wooden sticks and guards, the printed paper leaf depicting a view of Lake Geneva and the town of Evian les Bains, part of the poster designed by Gauvain for the Paris-Lyon-Méditerrannée railway. Inscribed on the back: Le lac Léman affiche pour Evian. ca. 1905. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4393-le-lac-leman-vu-d-evian-eventail-d-apres-gauvain-vers-1905.html

Souvenir hand fan from the French Embassy in Moscow, Russia. The bistre-colored paper leaf painted with musical attributes, torchères and garlands of flowers. Painted bone sticks and guards. Inscribed on the reverse: EMBASSADE DE FRANCE
MOSCOU MAI 96. Signed on the reverse by the Parisian fan-maker Ernest Kees. With a luxury case from Kees. 1896. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/historic-fans/4406-souvenir-from-the-french-embassy-in-moscow-1896-fan-by-kees.html

Hand fan with wooden sticks and guards, the fabric leaf painted and inscribed Cotes de Normandie. ca. 1900. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/4398-washerwoman-on-the-normandy-coast-fan-circa-1900.html

Theatre and circus fans, the better to make your own limelight. All of these from Fan d’Eventails, Paris.

Atala and Chactas fan. Bone fan with the skin leaf painted with three cartels, one of which depicts the Indian couple Atala and Chactas crossing the Meschacebé River on a raft, as told in the novel Atala, ou Les Amours de deux sauvages dans le désert by French writer François-René de Chateaubriand (published in 1801). The second cartel could represent Othello and Desdemona in Venice, based on Shakespeare‘s tragedy Othello or the Moor of Venice, first performed in 1604. ca. 1840. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3803-1-atala.html

Large brisé wooden fan painted with a training scene of a circus act with a dog and monkey trainer. ca. 1880-1900. Maker not known. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3797-circus-rehearsal-fan-circa-1880-1900.html

Fan, the black silk leaf painted with a representation of a circus act with a trained monkey with a tortoiseshell or imitation mount. ca. 1880. Signed illegible. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3793-the-circus-show-fan-circa-1880.html

Hand-fans with flowers for August. Who needs an air conditioner if you can make your own breeze?

Iris hand-fan in wood with a painted fabric leaf. 1900-1905. Tutin, maker. Signed Tutin. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/art-nouveau-fans/3605-iris-by-tutin-fan-circa-1900-1905.html

Iris flower hand-fan, the polylobed leaf applied with three lace irises and embroidered with sequins. Tortoiseshell sticks and guards inlaid with silver sequins and the top of the guards being serpentine. ca. 1900-1910. French. Duvelleroy, maker. Signed Duvelleroy on the reverse. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/art-nouveau-fans/3603-iris-flowers-duvelleroy-fan-circa-1900-1910.html

Hand-fan with a painted silk and gauze leaf, richly embroidered with colored sequins depicting poppy flowers. Pierced horn sticks and guards, engraved and applied with tinted burgau mother-of-pearl with a poppy motif. Art Nouveau. Image © Fan d’Eventails Paris. Fair use license. https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/art-nouveau-fans/3606-poppies-art-nouveau-fan.html

Hand-fans decorated up with animals. Why not. Taken from the July email of Fan d’Eventails, Paris.

Hand-fan with a mother-of-pearl frame, the lace and skin leaf painted with flowers foraged by bumblebees and butterflies. ca, 1890. French. Duvelleroy, maker. Signed Daillard et Duvelleroy. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3580-bumblebees-and-butterflies-by-daillard-duvelleroy-fan-circa-1890.html

Mother-of-pearl fan, the silk and lace leaf painted with a Burmese ceremony involving an elephant and cows. ca. 1900. No further information available. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3587-elephant-and-sacred-cows.html

Wooden fan, the leather leaf painted with a dog motif. ca. 1880-1900. Austrian. Rodeck, Wein maker. Stamped on the back Gebr. Rodeck Wien. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3585-dogs-fan-by-rodeck-wien-circa-1880-1900.html

Tortoiseshell hand fan, the gauze leaf painted with a pair of kingfishers. ca. 1890. Made by Gaston and signed Gaston D. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3581-les-martin-pecheurs-eventail-de-gaston-vers-1890.html

Fan with white mother-of-pearl sticks and guards and a double skin leaf painted with monkeys by Octave Join-Lambert, painter and archaeologist (1870-1956). 1890. French. Signed and dated O. Join Lambert 1890. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3577-monkeys-fan-by-octave-join-lambert-1890.html

Paper fan leaf in watercolor of a fox terrier chasing a mouse. ca. 1900. Signed Ct. H. Blain or perhaps Cain for George Cain. Image © Fan d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/fan-leafs/3579-the-ratter-dog-fan-leaf-circa-1900.html

Translate »