Photo of Fan, 19th century - Public domain dedication

In 1837 Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young founded Tiffany & Company in Brooklyn, Connecticut, as a "stationery and fancy goods emporium". Charles Tiffany's father who financed the store with only $1,000. Charles Lewis Tiffany along with his friend John B. Young established the jewelry company Tiffany in 1837 as Tiffany, Young and Ellis. They settled in Manhattan selling imported high-class glassware, silverware jewelry, and porcelain. Unlike other stores at the time, Tiffany clearly marked the prices on its goods, only accepted cash payments, and did not allow purchases on credit. The first Tiffany mail order catalog, known as the "Blue Book", was published in 1845, and publishing of the catalog continues it to this day. The company began designing its own jewelry in the 1850s, relocating to Fifth Avenue and opening branches in Paris and London. Tiffany adopted the British silver standards, establishing the term "sterling" in the US. Charles Comfort Tiffany succeeded his father as director and led the company to become one of the leading proponents of the Art Nouveau style and shortened the name to Tiffany & Company, changed emphasis on jewelry in 1853. In 1862 Tiffany supplied the Union Army with swords (Model 1840 Cavalry Saber), flags, and surgical implements. In 1870, the company built a new store building at 15 Union Square West, Manhattan, designed by John Kellum. It was described by The New York Times as a "palace of jewels". In 1956, legendary designer Jean Schlumberger joined Tiffany, and Andy Warhol collaborated with the company to create Tiffany holiday cards (circa 1956–1962).

A handheld fan, or simply a hand fan, is any broad, flat surface that is waved back and forth to create an airflow. Generally, purpose-made handheld fans are folding fans, which are shaped like a sector of a circle and made of a thin material (such as paper or feathers) mounted on slats that revolve around a pivot so that it can be closed when not in use. Hand fans were used before mechanical fans were invented. Handheld fans have been used for thousands of years, with the earliest known examples dating back to ancient Egypt and China. These early fans were made from a variety of materials, including feathers, parchment, and palm leaves, and were used for both practical and ceremonial purposes. In ancient Rome, fans were also used for both cooling and as a decorative accessories. The first handheld fans as we know them today, made from paper or other lightweight materials and mounted on sticks, were probably invented in Japan or China during the 9th or 10th century. These fans gradually spread to other parts of the world and became popular in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.