Ladies Handkerchief (I always have one in MY purse) Some historians opine the handkerchief originated in China, and was first used to shield a person’s head from the hot sun. Statues dating as far back as the Chou dynasty (1000 BC) show figures holding decorative pieces of cloth. Christian tradition links the handkerchief or sudarium to the Shroud of Turn offered by Veronica to Christ. The Romans waved handkerchiefs in the air at public games, and the drop of a hankie would signal the beginning of the chariot races. During the middle ages, a knight would tie a lady’s handkerchief to the back of his helmet as a good luck talisman. In the fifteenth century, European traders returned from China with great numbers of peasants’ headscarves, which Europeans appropriated as fashion accessories. Renaissance portraits show both men and women holding handkerchiefs embroidered and edged in lace. Handkerchiefs appeared in Shakespearian plays – Cymbeline, As You Like It, and most memorably Othello, in which a misunderstanding over a handkerchief caused Othello to kill his wife and then himself. Once considered so valuable they were listed in dowries, as well as bequeathed in wills. The loss of a handkerchief was found recorded in publications as far back as 1665. In Persia, they were considered a sign of nobility and were reserved for kings. Aristocrats sitting for their portraits would request that a handkerchief be included in the picture, the more embellished the better, to indicate their status and position. Considered a symbol of wealth, handkerchiefs became larger and larger, until, in 1785 Louis XVI issued a decree prohibiting anyone from carrying a handkerchief larger than his. Good grief! The tradition of borrowing a bridal hankie may have stemmed from the times when they were too expensive for a young bride to afford. The birth of Kleenex sounded the death knell for handkerchiefs. Originally invented in the 1920’s as a face towel to remove cold cream, by the 1930’s Kleenex was touted as the antidote to germs with their slogan “Don’t carry a cold in your pocket.” Many opted for a disposable alternative. In the mid-1950s, a Little Golden Book featuring Little Lulu, had an astronomical first printing of 2.25 million copies!!! showcasing “Things to make and do with Kleenex tissues featuring Lulu and her magic tricks,” showing children how to make bunny rabbits and more from tissues. A shame. Not only are handkerchiefs the green alternative to tissues they are a lovely symbol of our past and I, for one, will continue to carry a hanky.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 14:45:00 +0000