Southern culture in early America has been marked by hospitality, hoop skirts, and because of the hot summers, the ubiquitous fan.  As it turns out, lady’s fan was much more than a tool to stay cool. For colonial women, including Martha Washington, the fan was a means of silent communication.
Lady Washington had a varied collection of fans, one of which inspired the design on this porcelain fan ornament.  The fan ornament is 4” wide and 2 ¼” tall with a 1 ¼” tassel at the bottom.