Fan with Swan Cover
Needle case front (photographs courtesy of a person who wants to remain anonymous)
Needle case back
Patent
Design Details
Needle Case Type: |
Figural (patent doesn’t specify cover design) |
Patent/Registered to: |
Henry Milward & Sons – Redditch (provisional registered to Theodore Givry, Paris) |
Patent/Design Representation #: |
Mechanical Patent: #8 (Provisional: #1808 registered December 19, 1867) |
Patent/Design Registration Date: |
January 1, 1868 |
Location of Patent/Design Registration: |
Mechanical Patent - British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre - London
Provisional - The National Archives (TNA) - Kew, UK |
Reference #: |
TNA Representation - BT 46/6/1808
TNA Register - BT 48/2 |
Dimensions: |
3.4 x 0.8 x 7.5
|
Material: |
Brass |
Name Variations: |
H. Milward & Sons - Redditch |
Other Variations: |
a) Fan with Bee and Dog Head Cover
b) Fan with Cupid Cover (front view)
c) Fan with Cupid Cover (side view)
d) Fan with Lady with Fan Cover
e) Fan with Swan Cover |
Facts
The fan is a device used to create a current of air. Prior to electricity and air conditioning, fans were used to keep people
cool. Highly decorated hand fans, like the one shown below, were commonplace in the Victorian Era. They were usually semi-circular
in shape and consisted of a thin material such as paper or feathers mounted on slats that could be closed when not in use. Click on the
fan below to see an larger version of it.
History
Since ancient times the swan has been the symbol of beauty and grace. However, in 12th century England the swan was given royal status
when all unmarked mute swans along certain sections of the Thames River and its tributaries became the property of the Crown. This was
done to ensure an ample supply of meat for royal banquets and feasts since swan was considered a luxury food at that time. As a result
the ceremony known as Swan Upping, where swans along the Thames are counted and their new cygnets marked, was created. Swan Upping
continues to this day, however sometime during the 19th century the turkey replaced the swan as the main dish at feasts or holidays such as
Christmas. The chromolithographic print below depicts swans during the Victorian period. Click on the picture to see a larger
version of it.
Miscellaneous
In 1843 the Danish poet Hans Christian Anderson first published his fairy tale entitled “The Ugly Duckling”. The story centers around
a cygnet that accidently ends up in the nest of a duck family on a farm. Because of the cygnet’s unattractive appearance, he is abused
by the other barnyard animals. Eventually he matures and becomes the most beautiful of birds, the white swan. This story is
especially important today as society has begun to stress the importance of reducing childhood bullying.
