Documentary evidence of the origin, development and use of fans has been uncovered by the author refuting the widely held belief that Spains fans are of little importance and of recent manufacture. The work is presented in seven chapters which place the fan in chronological order within its own historical and social context. In addition there is a short history of the Guilds, the beginning of factory production in the early 19th century and a detailed account of fan-making today. The approach concentrates on the infinite variety of materials used to make fans; both the importation of those materials and their handling form the nucleus of the research. Some fans were grand and gem-encrusted emblems of authority; other were mass-produced paper trifles with political advertising. Spanish-dominated Central and South American countries provided brilliantly coloured fans made from iridescent feather-mosaics, yet, just as important in their own time, were classical paintings on fans of vellum or chicken-skin. The Spaniards, equating weight with value, placed much emphasis on a fans sticks and guards. These were often Islamic-inspired in design, made from ivory, silver-filigree, lacquer, mother-of-pearl or even aromatic woods.