Thursday, December 01, 2005

Collections: Ephemera ~ Paper Fans





Top: The only folding fan I have. The center top says "Let's all sing like the birdies sing, tweet, tweet, tweet", and shows doggies, presumably singing in harmony. The side panels have babies playing the saxophone and leading the choristers. The rear of this fan says only:
"Compliments of Stitt's Bakery
Phone 4-1990. There is no city listed, and no artist, although the patent number is 1655229.

The "Pittypat's Porch" fan is from the restaurant, in Atlanta. I got this fan when we ate there in the late 70's. I am not sure if it still exists, but it was a great place for tourists back then, and a real slice of life in the South (even if a fairly manufactured one). In the next post, I will show a postcard from Pittypat's Porch. It is as much a total experience as it was a place to eat.

The third fan, showing the woman and blond baby, is undoubtedly from the 20's or 30's, owing to the marcelled wave in the woman's hair. That was a hairstyle favored by the flappers, I believe. This one does not have the artist listed either.

11 comments:

OldLady Of The Hills said...

LOVE these fans!! I assume that was for Aunt Pittypat in GWTW??
I loved that book and that movie is to me, the GREATEST movie ever made!!! All these fans are utterly fascinating Judy! I could really get hooked on fans just from the ones you've shown us!

Anonymous said...

Hello again my fellow Tarheel! Michele sent me but I often stop by anyway. How many fans do you own now I'm wondering? They are lovely. Have a great day!

srp said...

OK, the folding fan is my new favorite. Those singing puppies in the center are just too funny, so cute. I've never seen one quite like this. You must take some of these to an Antique Road Show near you. I know they've been in North Carolina before.

Karen Townsend said...

Haven't thought about Pittypat's Porch in a long time. We moved to the Atlanta suburbs for my senior year of high school, then I went to college in Atlanta. This was mid seventies. I don't know if it is still there, either.

Jamie Dawn said...

Pittypat's Porch is probably a particularly pleasant place.

The baby standing up holding the conductor's wand is about the cutest thing ever!

sage said...

you have some of the neatest collections of stuff--love the fans--I'd always just assumed only funeral homes gave way fans. Suppose it was good to grow up in the South after most places had AC.

poopie said...

Beeeeautiful! You must have a huge house to keep all this gorgeous stuff you've got.

brendalove@gmail.com said...

I totally love those jazzy babies!

Anonymous said...

Me too, on the folding fan. I, of course, love the sax baby. :-)

Gel said...

I love jazz so "tweet tweet tweet" caught my eye. I forgot how you collect these. Were they passed down to you or did you also go to yard sales, estate sales, or from other relatives? Please direct me to the title of your post that explains the history. Thx! (I"ll come back and read here where to look.)

kitty said...

How neat! I never seen fans like that.. Michele sent me. Happy Friday!