|
Planning a seasonal theatre trip? You might be forgiven for thinking this object would be a bit impractical to slip in the pocket or handbag. In fact it would have been just the sort of thing that wealthy theatre-goers took with them in the early 19th century. The twenty nine tortoiseshell sticks of this cockade brisé fan, with carved decoration of figures and animals in a Chinese style fold neatly into a compact device for carrying, but when unfolded they would have been considered both the height of fashion and an immensely practical accessory. You see there was a single-draw metal spyglass set into the central pivot. The user could hide behind the fan whilst surreptitiously casting a glance at the other people in the audience. Eventually people caught on that this was what was happening but optical fan users carried on regardless...it was the done thing to be observed spying on the neighbours. Not to be spied upon was the worst fate that could befall a fashionable person.