I've always wanted a period fan, holding it would give my hands something to do at an event when I'm self-conscious and feeling inept.
And sometimes, as in the case of the wallet you have to adapt something that is more modern to fit into a reenactment situation adding a subtle dimension of comfort. A perfect point is the Blogger photo by Ava Francesca. Jalali and I were being kippered in every sense of the word at Khan's Court by the communal fire and had no where to go! Tears streaming down our faces and being smothered by the smoke from the fire was not fun. My amusement is as a direct result of this. And if you follow my right hand you'll see that I'm grasping my chaddar which is pleated into a length of fabric fan as was period. The verdict? Well it might be period. It may very well work keeping flies, midges and mosquito's away. But as a fan to actively circulate air and keep the fire smoke away it was utterly worthless!
What I casually refer to as "stiff" fans don't seem to come into fashion in India much before the 1550's at the earliest by general consensus, and that is being generous with timelines. The appearance of these axe-headed types of fans is certainly late period, replacing the more common fabric length depicted in many of the 12thC through 15thC Indian manuscript illustrations.
Extent versions, dating from the 1800's and the 20thC seem to have a pasteboard base which acts as a support cut into the typical axe-head shape. This pasteboard is then encased by an embroidered case, generally a repeat of the decorative design. At the bottom is a channel from the covering fabric into which a dowel stick is placed for comfort of holding and giving more support to the pasteboard shape.
And sometimes, as in the case of the wallet you have to adapt something that is more modern to fit into a reenactment situation adding a subtle dimension of comfort. A perfect point is the Blogger photo by Ava Francesca. Jalali and I were being kippered in every sense of the word at Khan's Court by the communal fire and had no where to go! Tears streaming down our faces and being smothered by the smoke from the fire was not fun. My amusement is as a direct result of this. And if you follow my right hand you'll see that I'm grasping my chaddar which is pleated into a length of fabric fan as was period. The verdict? Well it might be period. It may very well work keeping flies, midges and mosquito's away. But as a fan to actively circulate air and keep the fire smoke away it was utterly worthless!
What I casually refer to as "stiff" fans don't seem to come into fashion in India much before the 1550's at the earliest by general consensus, and that is being generous with timelines. The appearance of these axe-headed types of fans is certainly late period, replacing the more common fabric length depicted in many of the 12thC through 15thC Indian manuscript illustrations.
Extent versions, dating from the 1800's and the 20thC seem to have a pasteboard base which acts as a support cut into the typical axe-head shape. This pasteboard is then encased by an embroidered case, generally a repeat of the decorative design. At the bottom is a channel from the covering fabric into which a dowel stick is placed for comfort of holding and giving more support to the pasteboard shape.
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