Union Supply Co., Honolulu advertising hand fan

Union Supply Co., Honolulu advertising hand fan

A hand fan advertising Honolulu commercial enterprises.

A traditional paper hand fan (uchiwa) depicting a woman in kimono on the front against a background of a water scene. The reverse side of the fan has a handwritten date above the company name printed in both English and Japanese.

Union Supply Co. Honolulu

1934

Skye Waipa, Jenna Zhang

English, Japanese.

A fan made of paper and bamboo.

Accession no. 1879

Color

Slight water damage on back, wearing down on edges of fan.

Produced by Hawaii branch of Union Supply Co. Honolulu

[1934] - date written on back.

1930s.

Paper fan, with a lacquered bamboo handle.

Showa Era (1925-1989).

The front of the fan depicts a Japanese woman in a blue kimono decorated with a white flower pattern and a beige wrap with a pattern of orange flowers. She carries a book and a tan parasol with pink flowers. Immediately behind her are bushes and four slender trees. The background is a water scene of a couple in a boat nearby. In the distance are a large bridge, low mountains, and a sky with grey clouds.
The back of the fan has a handwritten date and location: July 29, 1934, Honolulu, TH (Territory of Hawaii).
"Union Supply Co. Honolulu" is written in English cursive script accompanied by Japanese language katakana and kanji equivalent above. "MADE IN JAPAN" is printed on the bottom right side.
The handle is lacquered with kanji characters printed in red and a logo.
The fan appears to be promoting a brand of sake.

Although the image was mechanically printed on the fan, the original image appears to be based on a watercolor or colored ink painting.

14 1/4 inches by 9 inches

Union Supply Co. Honolulu.

English, Japanese

Photo mechanical printing process

Used with permission.

Photo mechanical printing process.

Honolulu, TH.