The handkerchief as we know it is in fact only around 400 years old. It was said to be the idea of a Venetian lady to cut a square out of pure flax and decorate the edges with lace. From Italy, it soon crossed the Alps to France and the court of Henry II. Handkerchiefs of this period were usually adorned with embroidery and were objects of great luxury and a showy dress item, carried in the hand rather than tucked into a pocket. Many portraits show handkerchiefs flowing from the hand.
Antique examples were extremely large,15-20" of fabric. Smaller items are usually described as chalice covers. http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/215260?sortBy=Relevance&ft shows a handkerchief 15inches square. Annette Meldrum in a rainy, South Coast NSW, Australia -----Original Message----- Alice Howell It's lovely.B Hankies used to be much larger than they are today.B It could have been a wedding hanky.B It took a lot of work to make, and should be for a special occasion.B I can believe it to be wedding hanky but I have no proof of it. Alice in Oregon - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
