Question Mounting a Japanese Fan

[k2500guy]

I have a japanese fan that I want to put into a shadowbox. You know the kind that folds up. I'm not sure how to secure it. The bottom part is not really the problem. I can attach it along the bottom where there is the metal hinge and also the bottom where there is a metal edge, but when opened up, the top is all thin and fragile paper. How can I secure the top of the opened up fan? BTW, this is not a valuable piece, it is just decorative, but if I could use conservation techniques, I would prefer that.

 

[Rick Granick]

You can use melinex straps passed through a slit behind the rib of the fan, around the rib, and back through the slit in the board. Secure the strap behind the board with 3M 889 tape. You won't have to do every rib- just a number of strategically located ones.
:kaffeetrinker_2: Rick

 

[Baer Charlton]

November issue of DECOR 2008. Page 31

 

[preservator]

There is a support technique described here http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/articles/jaic36-03-009.html
that could be combined with a fan-shaped window to safely house a fan in a frame.


Hugh

 

[05]

Just FYI -and the customer's-- museums generally store folding fans folded. This is to keep the sticks from warping, which they are prone to do, being so thin. While this is not good for the leaf (the paper or vellum or lace part), the leaf is more fixable than warped sticks.