Fan Language, much used by fashionable ladies in the 18th century (1700's), was of help in carrying out love affairs under the chaperone's watchful eye.
"..the first person to organise 'a language of the fan' was a Spaniard named Fenella, who published (in Spanish) fifty directions on how to converse with the fan"-Nancy Armstrong

With the fan open
Wait for me - open wide
I love you - hide the eyes behind the fan
I do not love you - give quick brushing away movements, holding the fan pointing downward, the back of the hand on top
You are welcome - hold the fan palm uppermost and extend toward the other person
I must avoid you - hold the fan over the head
I am married - fanning slowly
I am engaged - fanning quickly
Forgive me I pray you - clasp hands under fan
Do not betray our secret - cover left ear with fan
Come and talk to me - carry in left hand
We'll be friends - drop fan
I love another - twirl in right hand
We are watched - twirl in left hand
Follow me - carry in right hand in front of face
I'd like to meet you - carry in left hand in front of face
*****
With the fan closed using tip to touch
Yes - touch to right cheek
No - touch to left cheek
Hush - touch to lips
Kiss me - touch handle to lips
Do not give us away - touch to left ear
I love you - point toward the heart
Go away, you're boring me - yawn behind the fan
I wish to speak with you - touch tip with finger
When may I be allowed to speak to you? - resting on right eye
At what hour? - present number of sticks unfolding fan
Do you misunderstand me? - gaze pensively at fan
Do not be so imprudent - threaten with fan
I'll miss you - wave fan


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I found this little tidbit quite interesting, and so I thought I would share it with all of you. I am very fond of the 1700-1800's, and there are all kinds of interesting things about how these people conducted their lives. I hope everyone else finds it of interest, too!

azspirit ;-)

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: azspirit ]

Several years ago, James and I were in a Civil War re-enactment group. Somehow or another, we managed to get ourselves elected chairmen of the committee for the semi-annual ball -- it was a lot of fun, but I would never want that job again!! :no:
Anyway, I had copies of this same thing run for about 100 ladies who attended the tea the afternoon that day. It was really cute to see women from teenagers to grannies practicing their fan waves!
I loved doing it, and will probably go to some more eventually, but right now we're taking a break from it. I've got oodles of costumes in my closets, lots of pretty stuff, but boy those corsets are a pain. Makes you have a whole new respect for women of that era! I love stuff like that also Azspirit! It almost makes you want to go back in time -- however, I couldn't do without the indoor plumbling! :no:

Carrie, I have always thought it would be loads of fun to get involved with a reenactment group. But, I stay so busy, I don't have much time to do something like that.
I'll bet that was really cute, watching all of the ladies with their fans! WOOHOO!!! What a romance that would be, eh? LOL =D

azspirit

Carrie, do you have corsets? I think they're cool! I just decided to look them up and found a neat place that makes them. Pricey, but oh so cute!

http://www.corsetmaker.com/[/URL]