Lilac Fans...

As you can probably tell a huge portion of my collection recently has been dedicated to collecting vintage and new ostrich feather burlesque fans. Along the same vein, I’ve become very interested in small ostrich feather fans common in burlesque acts as well. 

Originally I was only concerned with the largest burlesque fans of the  past I could find but sadly those are few and far between so I started checking out and eventually developing emotional affairs with smaller feather fans that were particularly colorful, artistic or offbeat.

This 1920’s antique lilac feather fan is on the smaller side but still visually impactful. The prices on these items usually depend on condition and like everything else in the antiques industry, the economy. 

As we know the economy is at a downturn right now so a lot of these  vintage and antique items will become more affordable. This particular fan is in OK condition. The feathers have started to curl and the staves  (The staves are the portion of the fan that affix the ostrich feathers  to the fan) appear to be fairly brittle but still intact. That’s nit  uncommon for 1920s fans. Overtime, ostrich feathers roll under or curl.  The quill of the feather will curl substantially at the delicate tips when subjected to long-term humidity. And if they’re kept out in the open, they dry out very easily as well. It’s always a good idea to keep  your vintage in an air-conditioned or climate controlled space. I keep all of my feather fans in hardcover rifle cases between foam so that the  staves and feathers stay straight. If these fans are healthy enough, they should straighten out with enough time pressed in the case.

If the feathers on your fan appear to be clumpy or thin or unhealthy  looking, steam them. It will breathe life back into an ostrich boa or an ostrich fan. Be careful in the process not to get them to wet. Next blow dry them on a cool, gentle setting. Don’t expose them to too much  heat. 

Always make sure that your feather fans are put away carefully to extend  the life of them. If you treat them rough, they won’t last long. If you’re delicate with them and treat them with respect, they can last a  lifetime with proper maintenance. I had to learn the hard way by losing  multiple sets of feather fans. Carrying them to gigs in trash bags, soft shell bags, boxes, tubes, everything. The best way to house you’re very expensive collection (let’s face it feather fans are incredibly expensive) is in hardcover rifle cases. These cases are not that  expensive, they’ll cost you an additional $50 or so but it’s worth every penny because you’ll make fewer repairs on your fans and they’ll look  beautiful longer.

These fans in their current condition value anywhere from $80-$150.