A Bit About Fans

Documentation for the usage of hand fans goes back centuries in time. Used by both men and women, the idea of a fan was an old tradition by the mid-1800s. Fans were a practical accessory as well as a pretty bit of frou frou. Air conditioning was not invented until 1902, so you can understand the need for a fan of some type.

The necessity for fans did not change through the centuries, but the sizes, styles, and materials did change.

Before further elaborating on styles, it will be helpful to note the parts of a fan with this diagram. (Courtesy of the Fan Association of North America (FANA))

In the 1860s there were different styles that were in use:

Folding

As the name implies, made of fabric or paper attached to sticks, this fan neatly folds closed on itself and opens into a semi-circle. During this era, these fans range from 8” to 11”, although 9” to 10.5” are the more commons sizes. The sticks and guards can be made of a variety of materials such as wood, bone, ivory, Mother-of-Pearl, tortoise shell, etc. The Leaf portion can also be made of a variety of materials as noted in the above diagram.

Brise

This fan also folds, but the sticks are of rigid material and are joined in place with a ribbon. The sticks themselves may be decoratively pierced or merely painted. This style varies in size.

Jenny Lind or Palmette

Another folding fan with individual silk leaves or palmettes attached to each stick and sewn together with a thread.

Cockade

A folding fan that opens out into a complete circle. When the fan is opened, the guards come round and are latched together to become the handle.

Fixed 

A non-folding, rigid fan that is fixed on a stick. This type of fan can consist of various shapes, sizes, and materials, and is thought to be the oldest style of fan.

The industrial revolution brought about the concept of mass production and this affected fans as well. In 1859 Alphonse Baude perfected the machine manufacture of fan sticks. This reduced fans from expensive individual art objects to simply mass-produced products. However, this also made fans more affordable to the general public. Still a popular accessory in the 1860s, now nearly every lady could afford a fan of some type.

 At the Theatre, by James Hayllar

 Olga Charlotte Marie Gräfin zu Solms-Tecklenburg, by Eduard Robert Bary

Portrait of a Lady With a Fan, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Princess Victoria, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Portrait of Mrs Augusta Magniac, by Lord Frederic Leighton

These are some CDVs from my collection showing everyday ladies carrying fans. You can view more of my collection of fan-carrying women on this page on my website.

Victorian Bonnet Veils - Not Just for Mourning

Yes, veils were worn for mourning. However, veils were not just for mourning. Veils were a common, practical fashion accessory in the 1860s and were worn for several reasons.

• Veils protected the eyes from the sun's glare, just like sunglasses do now.

• Veils protected the face from flying insects and dust. Remember, buggies, wagons and horse-backing riding didn't provide windshields! 

• Veils offered a lady privacy. They created a personal space for her, even in a public place.

As you can see from this CDV, veils were worn with both bonnets and hats. These ladies have pulled their veils back so you can see their faces. 

Veils have been worn for centuries so ladies wearing them in the 1860s was not a new idea. Veils were worn by young and old alike. Here is both an older lady and a young lady wearing one.

Regardless of race, income and social position, many ladies wore them. 

They were appropriate for both winter and summer weather. 

Veils generally come in a half-oval shape or some rectangular configuration. They seem to be predominantly black or white, but they can also come in colors such as blue, green, and brown. The following snippets from fictional works of the day will illustrate.

Godey’s Lady's Book, 1861
My Ward
She was muffled up in furs, woolens, shawls till she was nearly as broad as she was long, and wore a heavy brown veil.

Peterson’s Magazine, 1864

Fanny’s Flirtation

As the vehicle drew up, in obedience to my summons, a glance inside discovered two females—one somewhere between sixty and a hundred and fifty, and the other composed principally of green veil drawn well over the face...

Peterson’s Magazine, 1864

The Lost Estate

She stopped and looked after him, thrusting the brown veil aside that covered her face.

Littell’s Living Age, Volume 74, by Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell (1862)

Chronicles of Carlingford

He went that way—that way, look!—in a cab, with somebody in a blue veil.

I love this lovely yet practical Victorian accessory! In fact, I offer bonnet veils in my shop. My veils are copied from an original veil in my collection.

Available in my shop

Fichu: A Fun, Frilly Fashion Garment

A Victorian fichu was a gauzy, frilly, large collar or small shawl and was a carry-over fashion garment from the 18th century. Fichus remained popular throughout the 19th century. The word is a French term equivalent to the English ‘neckerchief’ or ‘scarf.’ Deeming it more feminine sounding, the French term ‘fichu’ was eventually adopted in England, America, and elsewhere. 

Nineteenth century fichus became more elegant and changed shape from those of the 18th century. In the Victorian era they were a suitable accessory for day wear as well as evening wear. They varied in shape, style, and fabric, from a small lacey confection to a longer, more dramatic fashion statement.

Following are a few quotes from Godey’s and Peterson’s, leading ladies’ magazines of the day.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Peterson’s, June 1864
The Eugenie Fichu

This fichu is intended for an evening or a dinner toilet and makes an admirable finish to a dress, besides obviating the necessity of having any further trimming on the bodice. The fichu forms a kind of bodice, open in front, and with two long ends before and behind. It may be made in any bright-colored silk, and is covered with white tulle or net, put plain over the silk, with the exception of the back, which is arranged in five puffings from the waist. The fichus is trimmed round with a narrow black lace, and a wide white lace or blonde, divided by a narrow row of velvet. It is further ornamented with black lace leaves applied on the net or tulle. These leaves can be purchased separately, or they may be cut out from old pieces of black lace, the foundation of which is worn out. The dress has a trimming at the bottom to correspond.

Peterson’s, January 1864

Our fifth engraving is a fichu, trimmed in purple or blue, as the wearer’s taste may dictate.

Peterson’s, February 1864

For dinner or evening dresses, low bodies are very generally worn with a cape or fichu in black and white lace or guipure. For young ladies, silk dresses are often made with a low body, and a small squared shaped cape of the same material to wear over it, the body is then high, and if wished to be worn low, the silk cape is replaced by a tulle fichu, so that the dress is equally appropriate for walking or evening attire.

Barrington House Collection

Godey’s, August 1860

Fichu for summer wear, suited to dinner or evening dress, it is quite as graceful and a newer shape than the favorite Marie Antoinette. The bows may be either of black velvet, or a shade of satin ribbon harmonizing with the dress.

Godey’s, September 1860

Fichu for a low corsage or evening wear. It is of black lace over white; the medallions and ruche being of ribbon. Two rows of good black lace surround it.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Godey’s, June 1861

The Antionette fichu, with ends crossing either behind or before, is also very much worn with muslin, barege or jaconet dresses. This fichu supplies the place of a high body, and makes, with spencers, a variety in the toilet. It is composed of white muslins, sometimes of either black or white lace.

Seen on Daguerre

Godey’s, August 1862

Besides the white waists, which are worn with low-neck bodies, there are numerous styles of fichus made of muslin, tulle, or lace, and trimmed with ruches, velvets, and bows of ribbon….Many of the fichus cross on the breast, and terminate in long, rounded ends trimmed with velvet, or in pointed ends which fasten underneath the sash or waistband.

My Re-Creations

I own a collection of original, antique fichus. When I decided to offer fichus in my shop, I based my creations on one of the fichus in my collection.

Fichus available in my shop

Lovely Amethysts

The Victorian era is the span of time in which Queen Victoria ruled England - from 1837 until 1901.

During this time the industrial revolution had a major impact on the manufacturing of goods, including jewelry. More employment brought more people into the middle class. Better manufacturing techniques made jewelry more affordable. 

Now the emerging middle-class could afford jewelry that in the past only the upper-class could afford. 

One of the continuing favorites of the Victorian era was amethyst jewelry. Amethysts were set into necklaces, earrings, brooches, bracelets, rings - you name it.

The most popular of the quartz family, amethyst is also one of the planet’s most abundant minerals. Amethyst has been used for centuries in the fashioning of jewelry. The color can range from deep violet purple to pale lavender.

Seen on Antiques Atlas

Seen on Facets of History

Seen on Fred Leighton

Seen on Sothby's

I carry several pairs of genuine amethyst earrings in my shop in a nod to this popular amethyst trend.

Available at Southern Serendipity

For more beautiful pictures of amethysts and amethyst jewelry, follow my Pinterest board!

Victorian Carnelian Jewelry

Blazing fire, autumn color, flashing warmth - all of this is found in the lovely stone known as Carnelian! An interesting semi-precious gem stone we do not usually associate with Victorian jewelry, Carnelian (or Cornelian) is one of the oldest known gemstones and has actually been used decoratively for thousands of years, including the Victorian years.

1st Century B.C.

Found here

ca. 100-300 A.D.
Seen on Pinterest

ca. 1740s Germany
Found on V&A

A form of Chalcedony, Carnelian is transclucent and can range from blood red tones to lighter peachy tones. Other stones are also classified as forms of Chalcedony and a couple can be confused with Carnelian.  The name Sard can be used interchangeably with Carnelian, but it is generally accepted that Chalcedony is designated Carnelian on the redder end of the color spectrum and labeled Sard on the browner end of the spectrum.

Carnelian is as hard as glass. In fact, it is hard enough for engraving and carving. The stone was often used for signet rings because the wax wouldn’t stick to the carnelian. During the Victorian era it was frequently used for watch fobs.

Carnelian Intaglio Watch Fob and Seal

Some jewelry items incorporated Carnelian (or Sard) as an element. Cameos are an example of this. Often the darker colored "background" of a cameo is made from Carnelian. (As an aside, to make things confusing, cameos can be made from Carnelian stone, Sardonyx stone, Carnelian shell, and Sardonyx shell!)

Carnelian Shell Cameo - "Rebekah and the Well"
Seen on Antique Jewelry Mall

Queen Victoria further popularized Carnelian with her love of Scottish jewelry. She had Stuart ancestry and after she purchased Balmoral Castle in Scotland, she enthusiastically embraced all things Scottish. Naturally, fashion followed the Queen! Scottish jewelry often incorporated stones such as Agate, Moss Agate, Carnelian, Bloodstone, Jasper, and Cairngorm. And since the industrial revolution with its more efficient manufacturing techniques was well underway, semi-precious and non-precious jewelry became affordable for the emerging middle class.

You will be right in style accessorizing your 1860s ensemble with Carnelian. In the mid-1860s it seems to most often appear with other stones in jewelry pieces, but now and then it can be seen as a stand-alone element. One of my favorite styles of carnelian is when it is used in drop-style earrings.

I am currently offering Carnelian “drop” earrings in my shop. And if you are interested in purchasing a coordinating pair of Carnelian bead bracelets, let me know and I will custom-make a pair to fit your wrists!

Available in my shop

If you want to have fun looking at more historic Carnelian jewelry, check out my Pinterest board here! Enjoy!

Follow Holly Sheen's board Carnelian Jewelry on Pinterest.

Do Only Older Ladies Wear Caps?

We do see many vintage photographs of older ladies wearing caps in the 1860s. Besides being a fashion item, they were also very practical. A cap could hide less-than-perfect hair, particularly for older ladies whose hair might be thinning.

However, caps appealed to a wide range of ages and they came in many styles to accommodate the various age groups’ style preferences. Consider this quote, "Caps are the most difficult articles to advise on; they almost entirely depend on the taste of the milliner and the fashion of the day." Godey's, June 1860. 

While mature ladies most certainly wore caps, younger women also wore them. A few CDVs are presented here to show the cross-section of ages that wore caps, as well as a bit of the variety of styles worn.

A well-dressed older lady with an "statement" cap!

A middle-aged lady with a petite cap 

Obviously an elderly lady
with a fashionable dress and cap

The Viscountess Canning, aged about 42-43, ca. 1860
Met Museum. Accession Number: 2005.100.491.1 (9a)

Here's a sweet image from a Swedish fashion magazine in 1860. Mother has a lovely black chantilly lace cap, and her daughters have a net (left) and a bonnet (right). Quite a tableau!

Nyaste journal for damer 1860. Stiftelsen Nordiska museet.

And finally, here's a lovely young looking woman.