Interesting Victorian History
The Victorian Era
While attending a May Day Festival in our town this year, we were with our Northwest Chapter for the Victorian Society of America. While there, I spoke to a friend of ours that is in our group, who was wearing a beautiful Victorian gown. She had a table set up where we were all at, with some great looking hand fans on her table. While speaking with her she told me about something very interesting. Do you know that the Victorian hand fans back in that Era had more uses than just an accessory or to fan cool air to the woman fanning it? From what I was able to find out, there was a private language that was used with them, sort of like intimate sign language, only used with hand fans instead of hands. Below I’ve listed a few gestures that you might find fasinating.

What a complicated, yet decadent way to communicate with a man! How long do you think it took to learn all this? I have only listed a few of these gestures, there are many more.

Carrying the open fan in her left hand: “Come and talk to me.“
Threatening hand movements with a fan closed: “Do not be so imprudent.“
Hiding the eyes behind an open fan: “I love you.“
Opening a fan wide: “Wait for me.“
Half-opened fan pressed to her lips: “You may kiss me.“
Letting the fan rest on her right cheek: “Yes.“
Letting the fan rest on her left cheek: “No.“
Drawing the fan across her cheek: “I love you!“
Presenting the fan shut: “Do you love me?“
The fan placed near her heart: “You have won my love.“
A closed fan touching her right eye: “When may I be allowed to see you?“
The number of sticks shown answered his question: “At what hour?“
Her hands clasped together holding her fan open: “Forgive me.“
Shutting her fully opened fan slowly: “I promise to marry you.“
Drawing her fan across her eyes: “I am sorry.“
Touching her finger to the tip of her fan: “I wish to speak with you.“
Drawing her fan through her hand: “I hate you!“
Fanning her fan slowly: “I am married.“
Fanning her fan quickly: “I am engaged.“
Putting her fan handle to her lips: “Kiss me.“
Placing the fan behind the head: “Do not forget me“
Placing the fan behind her head with her finger extended: “Goodbye.“
Her fan in right hand in front of her face: “Follow me.“
Twirling her fan in her left hand: “We are being watched.“
Twirling her fan in her right hand: “I love another.“ (definitely don’t want to mix the right hand and left hand up with this one!)
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