| How can I tell if my folding fan is Japanese or Chinese? Is it authentic?

How can I tell if my folding fan is Japanese or Chinese? Is it authentic?

Naya asked:


I recently purchased a folding fan, still in box, from a thrift store. The box itself has a sticker on the front and one on the side, but the characters are of an Oriental language. So, I can’t read them. Once fully opened, the scene on the fan itself is of 2 koi-fish, or carp(I’m not sure which), and there is also what appears to be some kind of trademark stamped on it, with some characters written out next to it. The scene is beautifully done, whether printed on or painted. There are 19 ribs, including the wider ribs on either end, that look to be bamboo, and they are painted or varnished in a lovely dark color. I can’t tell whether or not this is an authentic hand-crafted piece, or if it is just your run-of-the-mill mass-produced tourist souvenier. I’d love to know, whether or not it’s authentic, and perhaps if it is, whether or not it’s an antique. Thanks so much! :)

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Comments

One Response to “How can I tell if my folding fan is Japanese or Chinese? Is it authentic?”

  1. smallbizperson on April 5th, 2009 10:31 pm

    It might be worth taking it to a local Chinese or Japanese restaurant to see if the people there can read the characters. Knowing which language if it is and IF they are real characters should point you in a direction.
    Go the biggest library available and check to see if you can find photos of fans like yours. (Make photocopies and any that seem similar and note the book and author.)
    If there is a museum with an Asian department in your town, or a nearby city, you can ask if a curator would be willing to look at photos or the actual fan to give you some feedback. (You can mention your other research.)
    They may not be willing, (or may be prevented by museum policy,) but if that’s the case, they should be willing to point you in the direction of someone who is knowledgeable about Asian fans.