A Little More on Handkerchiefs

Does anyone else have a long list of unfinished blog posts? I know I do! Today's post, one of many started then buried in my draft folder, is short but I thought it high time to share! I've written a few times in the past about 18th century handkerchiefs. Today I'd like to show you a few handkerchiefs I came across in my research as well as a few references to them in historic newspapers. There are endless references and it's a lot of fun discovering them!

A neck handkerchief is a necessary article of clothing for every living historian as well as a great (and simple!) way to dress up or change the look of your historic clothing. Burnley and Trowbridge has a nice selection of lovely printed handkerchiefs and fabric to make your own.Wm. Booth Draper and  Sign of the Golden Scissors both offer a fine selection of fabrics too.

Some 18th and early 19th century handkerchiefs in Museums.

From the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston 

White with red border - MFA Accession Number 16.391

Blue wool plaid - MFA Accession Number 44.804
Blue and white handkerchief - MFA Accession Number 51.1992

MFA Accession Number 34.126

From the Victoria and Albert Museum

V&A T.173-1921

V&A IS.166-1950

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art

MET C.I.38.85.2

Lady's Repository Museum- Child's purple and white printed handkerchief, c. 1785

From Christie's - Red and white showing rates for Hackney cabs

From Colonial Williamsburg - Reproduction handkerchiefs

And more ...

Boston Evening-Post, August 3, 1761  
- "Imported from LONDON and GLASGOW, ... strip'd and flower'd border's lawn handkerchiefs & aprons, ... spotted & flower's India bandanno handkerchief, lungee romalls, china taffaty handkerchiefs, cross bar's silk ditto, flower's culgee ditto, check'd & flowered linen ditto, cotton ditto"

Boston Gazette, September 7, 1761 
- "lawn handkerchiefs with flower'd & strip'd borders, ... gauze handkerchiefs of all colours; bandannoes; negligee & rosset silk handkerchiefs"

More Spotted and Checked Handkerchiefs

Last year I posted about 18th century spotted and printed handkerchief. You can read that post here. Here are a few more images of spotted and checked handkerchiefs I have come across in period prints. The red and white handkerchief I normally wear to 18th century events looks very much like the one mentioned in this newspaper ad.

For additional information on spotted handkerchief please see Paul Dickfoss' article, Spotted Handkerchiefs!

The ROGUISH BOY - Source

Snuff and Twopenny - Source

I love this print! THE JEALOUS MAIDS  - Source

Also a very fine hat on the lady. THE SAILOR'S PLEASURE -  Source

"Spotting" Handkerchiefs in Art

This is a continuation of yesterday's post on handkerchiefs. I've done some searching online and have found several images of spotted handkerchief in period art work. I should note that this search was for examples of handkerchiefs worn by women, and not men.

One of the earliest images I came across, and one of my favorites, is A City Shower, 1764. The original is in the Museum of London but you can find copies of it in online art stores. This is a very pretty example of a handkerchief with a "Red Ground and spotted with White". It looks as though this handkerchief is a large square worn folded in half. Lots going on in this image - pretty handkerchief, bib apron, quilted petticoat, and pattens! I really want a pair.

A City Shower, 1764, Museum of London

If you look closely at The Old Ballad Singer, 1775, the women on the right seems to be wearing a handkerchief with a dark colored ground and some kind of white pattern. It's hard to tell. I couldn't find a better close up of this image.

The OLD BALLAD SINGER

In the portrait of Martha Saunders, also dated 1775, we find a handkerchief with a dark ground and simple white spots.

Martha Saunders, 1775

We find the opposite in The Tenant's Daughter, 1796. A handkerchief with a white ground and dark spots. We can only guess at their color.

Haines and Son, London. 1798

Here is a close up of Spring, 1779, by John Collet. It's a lovely example of a blue handkerchief spotted with white. I like how the handkerchief matches the gentleman's coat. :)

Spring, by John Collet

I don't have an exact date for this next image, but I believe it's from the 1770s or early 1780s. Unfortunately I don't know the artist either. I found the image on Sotheby's several years ago but did think to save any additional information. (If anyone has information on this painting, please let me know.) Anyway, it's another nice example of a red (brownish red) handkerchief with white spots. LOVE that green bonnet and matching green mitts! She looks a little overdressed for harvesting hops. Reminds me of George Stubbs' painting of the Hay Makers.

For additional information on spotted handkerchief please see Paul Dickfoss' article, Spotted Handkerchiefs!

Colorful Handkerchiefs and "some evil-minded Person"

I wanted to share with you all a recent find I made in America's Historic Newspapers. I thought this was rather timely given Hallie's recent posts on handkerchiefs. This advertisement for stolen goods is from the Boston Gazette, February 19, 1770. That "evil-minded Person" sure had good taste in accessories.

The Boston Gazette, February 19, 1770

How about that list of colors? Red with white, white with red, and purple with white. Anyone "spotting" a trend? Sorry, bad pun I know :)

I have a ringer for one of those red and white handkerchiefs - "Red Ground and spotted with White" You can see a similar spotted handkerchief worn by a young girl in the mezzotint, A Girl Singing Ballads by a Paper Lanthorn in the collections of the MET. A further search in the historic newspapers revealed several more hits for spotted handkerchiefs.

If you're interested in purchasing a colorful handkerchief of your own, check out these from Time Travel Textiles. They come in four different designs and a whole rainbow of colors.

Time Travel Textiles