An ever-growing fan club

There are lots of very keen collectors of fans, people who love fans, with fan clubs - in the literal sense - based in countries such as Britain, the US, France and Italy.

Ms Susan Mayor, director of the textile department at Christie's in London, has written no less than three books about fans. Her fascination developed from her interest in costume and fashion and the wonderful quality and endless variety of fans made an impression on her.

She finds fans are often "detailed, elaborate, wonderful works of art" and despite her long career in the business she still comes across unusual fans.

Fans from the 16th to the 20th centuries are much sought after, with some later ones being more valuable than older ones.

Collectors tend to specialise in collecting one type of fan, such as miniature fans, where the price range is from "under £50 to £500 (€794) plus". Miniature fans measure less than six inches, measured by the length of the guardsticks, the outer sticks protecting the fan.

For example, a 1905 miniature fan with silk leaf painted with birds and flowers is expected to fetch between £300 and £400 sterling at a Christie's auction on February 15th.

Others collect advertising fans, most of which are from the 20th century. These are often designed by well-known artists and can go for less than £50 each. But one unusual one, circa 1900, advertising a French sweet shop fetched about £1,500 at a previous auction, she says.

Printed 18th century fans can do well if they commemorate historical events. In the forthcoming auction, a rare ballooning fan, that is, with a print of a hot air balloon's ascent, is expected to fetch between £2,500£3,500. It celebrates Mongolfier's first free balloon ascent (earlier ascents were tethered) at Versailles in 1785.

French Revolutionary fans also fetch a great deal but simpler 18th century printed fans with an ordinary country scene might go for less that £100.

An 1800 Act of Union fan, commemorating the union of Britain and Ireland, with leaf painted in black and gold and the inscription "Unity, Peace, Plenty, Concord, Commerce, Integrity", is estimated at less than £200.

Painted fans can be dated by the style of the painting and the shape of the sticks. Painted fans from the 17th century can fetch as much as £20,000.

One that made about this price was a painted mica fan, mica being a mineral you slice into very thin slivers so it looks like a pane of glass.

But even a very simple painted 17th century fan should fetch between £2,000 and £3,000, while 18th and 19th century painted fans can make up to about £15,000.

Readers are welcome to send a photograph of any fan for valuation to Ms Mayor.

Mr Peter Geoffroy, a director of Whyte's auctioneers in Dublin, says fans do occasionally turn up for auction in the Republic: "We've handled the occasional ones but none of great significance."

Ms Susan Mayor can be contacted by writing to Christie's South Kensington, 85 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LD.

jmarms@irish-times.ie