Curious and Unusual 1865 American Civil War Paper Hand Fan handmade pin cusion some aging and a bit

some aging and a bit of light cracking to the deep red lacquer on the bottom and interior

and intellectual" game

" which was featured in a nationally juried exhibition organized by the National Basketry Organization and presented at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu

but equally handy for earrings

Curious and Unusual 1865 American Civil War Paper Hand Fan handmade pin cusion some aging and a bitI purchased this fan from my favorite rare book seller, not knowing quite what to make of it, but finding it quite an interesting, unusual and striking looking thing. I am not enough of a Civil War expert to unpack it, but I am pretty certain the choice of blue ink for the printing connects it the Union, while the serpent at the center of the fan represents the Confederacy. It seems possible, with numbers 1 7 along the left side, that it makes