FANS OF GIRLS AND DOLLS

Girls and Their Fans

Scrapbook Party Fan, 1895-1899

While a teenager, Julia (Morris) Jackson (born ca. 1881) of Madison, Wisconsin created this scrapbook fan at a party. She started with a blank Japanese mai ogi fan, a type of fan originally made for dancers who needed strong fans that could stand up to fast constant movement without breaking. Onto the fan's surface, Julia pasted photographs of people who probably were her friends. She added courtship advice, a popular topic for teenage girls of all eras, by cutting words out of newspapers and magazines.

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White Lace Fan, ca. 1906

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, young female graduates often carried simple lace fans at commencement ceremonies. Lydia (Vick) Syftestad (1888-1961) of Madison, Wisconsin used this fan at her high school graduation.

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Autograph Brisé Fan, 1869

Autograph albums, filled with pithy verses, flourishes, and well-practiced signatures, first appeared on parlor tables in the 1820s. Between 1870 and 1875, Emma (Their) Quarles (1854-1942) of Kenosha, Wisconsin, had friends and family autograph her novelty fan with similar verses and signatures.

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Prom Ensemble with Fan, 1921

This ensemble was used by Edith E. (Johnson) Heisman (1898-1992) at the University of Wisconsin's Junior Prom in 1921.

Edith matched the items here for her prom outfit, including the black ostrich feather fan, the silver lamé and gray satin dress (Wisconsin Historical Museum object # 1969.147.2), black silk shoes with rhinestone clips (Wisconsin Historical Museum object # 1969.147.1a-b), and a silver sequined butterfly hair ornament (Wisconsin Historical Museum object # 1969.147.3).