gurdymonkey: (pretties)
[personal profile] gurdymonkey
It was the first fan I ever won on eBay, no doubt because the squeeing geisha wannabes thought it was too plain and nobody else bid on it. From the moment it arrived in its cradle of bubble wrap and cardboard tubing from Japan, I just knew.


It's the one at top left with the painting of a man in formal court togs. It's a good inch longer than any of the other sensu I've acquired, which you may or may not be able to tell by comparing it to the other fans in this photo.

Any of my readers who have ever held a well balanced weapon in hand will know the feeling. When folded, that fan just wants to be wielded. It's like was designed for beating the servants or smacking an impertinent fellow across the knuckles with. My other sensu don't feel like that at all.

I think it acquired the name and attendant reputation around the time I attended Known World Costuming and Rattan in Calontir in the fall of 2005. Interaction with the Bushi From The Outlands was definitely involved.

For the record, no one has ever actually been smacked with The Smackity Fan. (It would probably sting like hell!)

As for the other two fans in the shot? The purple one was a lucky find at a local flea market. It has a bit of water damage, but you can signal aircraft with it.

The last doesn't go out to events because I don't ever want to lose it. The back side is tarnished silver foil, the front was obviously once gold. Again, nobody else bid on it because it wasn't "pretty", but I think it's the star of my collection.


Date: 2009-02-22 05:15 am (UTC)

Date: 2009-02-22 06:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] channel6.livejournal.com
I've long wanted to make some sort of fan to use as an off-hand defensive while fencing. These, however, would be too pretty!

Date: 2009-02-22 05:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gurdymonkey.livejournal.com
Go find one of those Chinese fighting fans with the metal bones. They'd be more likely to hold up as parrying instruments than one of these.

Date: 2009-02-22 10:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] karisu-sama.livejournal.com
Lovely, lovely fans! (Even if one is Smackity! ^^)

Hey, the fans other bidders thought weren't so "pretty"? - THEIR loss!! ^^

Date: 2009-02-22 11:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elmunadi.livejournal.com
Perhaps it's about time someone built a true smackity fan for you - (a tessen) - black lacquered tempered iron ribs, batik'd or painted silk swath. A fan with authority.


Date: 2009-02-22 05:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gurdymonkey.livejournal.com
But I don't need one. The mere concept of *having* one has served me impeccably.

Not "pretty"?!?!

Date: 2009-02-22 03:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladycelia.livejournal.com
Elegant. Your fans are elegant.

Idiot geisha wannabees.

Date: 2009-02-22 05:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] danabren.livejournal.com
That's the difference between classy and superficial.

You rock, girlfriend.

Date: 2009-02-22 08:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gottasing.livejournal.com
Wow-those are gorgeous!

Date: 2009-02-23 05:01 am (UTC)
ext_4712: (Default)
From: [identity profile] melaniewing.livejournal.com
Those are lovely.

When I was putting together my fan my daughter grinned and said now we can smack people with it and she doesn't even know about your smackity fan.

Date: 2009-02-23 06:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bronx-baroness.livejournal.com
sigh. I now see myself hieing off to the Japanese antiques store next week....

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