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Victorian Cockade Fan

on May 13, 2010 – 3:02 am

Nineteenth century hand fans were fashioned in three styles — the pleated, the brise, and the cockade. Shown above is a Victorian pleated cockade fan of red glazed cotton. Decorating the front are blue, white, orange, and pink hand-painted flowers. The handles are covered in maroon velvet with brass caps at the end. The fan clasps shut at the bottom with a brass closure.

 

The cockade hand fan was a compact circular folding fan and occupied very little space. It had two handles and opened up to 360 degrees around a central pivot, thus forming a cockade.

Featured above are examples of two styles of cockade circular fans from the late nineteenth century. The fan to the left is called a “Pocket Draw Fan”, featuring a compact hide-away handle with the fan opening with a simple tug of the top tassel. This cockade fan was available in a variety of colors including white, black, crimson, tan, or brown.

To the left is a Victorian cockade fan of ivory glazed cotton that also opens to a full circle. These handles are covered in brown leather with brass caps and a brass clasp at the bottom. This fan was purchased undecorated — just waiting for the Victorian lady of leisure to add her own hand-painted motif.

Victorian Christmas

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