ABOUT THE COLLECTION: Over the past 48 years, retired educator Dr. Bean has collected about 150 fans, most of them decorative, but some that she uses to keep cool in hot weather. They are displayed throughout her home on North Shore Roads. "I keep most of them in my living ining room, which I call my museum,'' she says. "One of these days, I'm going to close in my verandah so I have a special place for all my fans.'' Dr. Bean's fans come in many shapes and sizes, some are round, some square, but most in the traditional fan shape. The largest is about 20 inches across from tip to tip and was a gift from a friend who visited Korea. some are made of wood, including cedar and sandalwood, some of fabric, some of feathers, including one made of peacock feathers from Costa del Sol, Spain, one made of glass, and one of tortoise shell. Many show tourist scenes of the places where they were bought -- Italy, Spain, Portugal - and serve as a a reminder of trips made by Dr. Bean, or of friends that gave them to her as gifts.

"I have a few favourites,'' says Dr. bean. "I was given a fan showing the Lady of Fatima shrine in Portugal by the former Portuguese Consul Joaquim Barreto and his wife after a trip home they made four years ago. It's the only one I have with any religious significance. I think it's wonderful what they can get on a fan, some to them have so much detail.'' Another favourite was given to her by the late Earle Seaton, her former student whom she visited in 1985 in the Seychelles where Seaton was the Chief Justice. "It's made of tortoise shell, with a single orange ribbon running through it. It's beautiful, and very unique.'' Another is a small fan, about four inches across made of palm leaves which is covered in lace and ribbon and stuffed with scented rose petals. "It was made by a little girl named Laura, who now lives in Australia. She got some help in making it from her mother. I think it was given to me for my 80th birthday three years ago.'' She has fans from Spain, Guatemala, Fiji, Ghana, Samoa, Egypt, Korea, Tahita, Brazil, China, Japan, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Bali, and many other places.

One of her most recent additions is a round South African wooden fan with a face carved on the front as a mask.

HOW IT STARTED: Dr. Bean's first fan was given to her in 1945 by an Australian woman whom she met on board a ship that was travelling to England. "They called her Mac, but I don't know what that stood for. Anyway, we had talked about fans and how much I like them. She had been to Spain and had bought a few, so she gave me one.

"I suppose I developed an interest in fans because Bermuda being so warm, I always carried one. For me, fans represent beauty captured in something still.

I compare them to a butterfly that is not in flight. They are so colourful, and some so delicate. Even in a portrait of me by Sam Morse Brown I'm holding a fan.'' VALUE: "My collection of fans in snot necessarily worth a great deal. Non of them were very expensive. But they have a sentimental, scenic and beauty value to me,'' says Dr. Bean. She says the most she's ever paid for a fan is about $20.

"I still take a fan with me to church, but not a fan that I prize. They remain inside.'' Left, Painted sandalwood fan from China right, Fan made of peacock feathers from Costa del Sol Spain. Below, Carved wooden fan with mask from South Africa. From top, Tortoise shell fan from the Seychelle islands Orange and gold painted paper fan from the Orient. Fan made of leaves from Fiji. Below, fan with the South Korean national colours from 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

RG MAGAZINE MARCH 1993