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Handkerchiefs
Have you ever wondered about the HISTORY of the humble
hankie? As you wipe the jelly from the face and hands of your toddler, soak your
perspiring face, cover your cough in church, watch rings sweetly and lovingly presented at
weddings--know that these tiny bits of cloth hold deeply held rich traditions in global
cultures.
The first mentions of handkerchiefs in poetry were by
Catullus (87-57 BC). He did not discuss their reasons for use (I suspect they were a
luxury), but look at the date! Ancient times--Before Christ.
Linen (made of cotten) was the preferred fabric, then folks
discovered how to spin flax into thread, and it became more cost effective.
There is an entire handkerchief culture; a number of folks
have devoted time and effort studying this tiny piece of cloth. They are small,
sometimes hand-made, pieces of history, highly collectible, low cost (usually), cross
collectible, offer all sorts of
This blog is not meant to be an exhaustive history, but
written get you thinking about the past use of these darling pieces of cloth.
If you want to see some cool ones, check my auctions:
Classic_Chloe
on OLA
