Hankerchief Collection

OSCAR WILDE (1856-1900)
OSCAR WILDE

Thatcher, Sidney Chun, splitting a spar - Marlborough
A thatcher, Sidney Chun (1903-1985), wears protective clothing, including a cricket shin pad, while splitting spars before thatching a roof at Marlborough - date: 1950s

Winston Churchill with machine gun, cigar and hat, WW2 propaganda image (b / w photo)
3093149 Winston Churchill with machine gun, cigar and hat, WW2 propaganda image (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Dentist, 1908 (w/c)
CEC131723 The Dentist, 1908 (w/c) by Dulac, Edmund (1882-1953); 26.3x30.5 cm; The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford, UK; © The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum .

The English Labourer (engraving)
3626109 The English Labourer (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The English Labourer. Illustration for Chatterbox (1869)

WW2 era - Comic Postcard - That ll stop your careless talk
The Caption is P raps that ll stop your careless talk!. Three little kids cover-up a younger toddlers mouth with a spotty hankerchief

Farewell, 1867 (oil on board)
AGR290627 Farewell, 1867 (oil on board) by Bakalowicz, Wladyslaw (1833-1907); 55.6x45.4 cm; Private Collection; Agra Art, Warsaw, Poland; Polish, out of copyright

A Charwoman (sepia photo)
STC347651 A Charwoman (sepia photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Gulliver has an audience withe Emperor of Lilliput, from French Edition of
3514759 Gulliver has an audience withe Emperor of Lilliput, from French Edition of Gullivers Travels by Jonathan Swift by Gavarni

Freedom returns! (colour litho)
2808739 Freedom returns! (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: Freedom returns)

A Lady of Distinction in her Habit of Ceremony, plate 60 from
STC89213 A Lady of Distinction in her Habit of Ceremony, plate 60 from The Costume of China, engraved by J. Dadley, 1800 (engraving) by Mason

Tramp with patches in his trousers (colour litho)
3093797 Tramp with patches in his trousers (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Tramp with patches in his trousers)

Waltzer au Mouchoir, pub. 1800 (hand coloured engraving)
3051738 Waltzer au Mouchoir, pub. 1800 (hand coloured engraving) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Young boy in 18th Century Costume (chromolitho)
732638 Young boy in 18th Century Costume (chromolitho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Young boy in 18th Century Costume)

Job Trotter, illustration from Character Sketches from Charles Dickens, c. 1890 (colour litho)
LLM405116 Job Trotter, illustration from Character Sketches from Charles Dickens, c.1890 (colour litho) by Clarke, Joseph Clayton (Kyd) (1856-1937); Private Collection; (add.info)

Man leaving his wife with his mistress (colour litho)
3096330 Man leaving his wife with his mistress (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Man leaving his wife with his mistress)

Music Hall comedian Hal Monty seen here posing for the Daily Mirror. 21st September 1947

Old man on beach enjoying a drink in the heat. 21st August 1981

A Horse wearing a hankerchief on head - July 1983 Weather - Hot Sunny

Army Horses. July 1983 P035508

Pickpocket Caught
An observant policeman apprehends a pickpocket who has stolen a gentlemans pocket hankerchief. He claims he only borrowed it because he has a cold. Date: circa 1830

JENNY LIND Often called the Swedish Nightingale, she was a soprano singer. Date: 1820 - 1887

Rosabell, 1806
Rosabell, pub. 1806 (hand coloured engraving). She waves goodbye at port, with baby in her arms

George Bellas Rothera (c. 1824-1907), Solicitor
Oil on Canvas 84 x 63.7 Burton, John

WWI pictorial hankerchief - A soldier waving farewell
First World War pictorial hankerchief depicting a soldier in France waving farewell to loved ones in Great Britain. The background is a map of the British Isles entitled Its a long

Cotton hankerchief - National Anthems of the Allies
Cotton hankerchief printed with the National Anthems of the Allies of the First World War (Russia/Belgium/France/Great Britain), including music. Commemorative Art

The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenie (1566-1633) 1579 (oil on canvas)
XIR62174 The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenie (1566-1633) 1579 (oil on canvas) by Sanchez Coello, Alonso (c.1531-88); 116x102 cm; Prado, Madrid

Portrait of Madame Marcotte, detail of her hands, 1826 (oil on canvas) (detail of 83538)
XIR429033 Portrait of Madame Marcotte, detail of her hands, 1826 (oil on canvas) (detail of 83538) by Ingres, Jean Auguste Dominique (1780-1867); Louvre, Paris, France; (add.info.: Madame Marcotte)

Portrait of Joseph Wolf (b / w photo)
XJF270002 Portrait of Joseph Wolf (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Joseph Wolf (1820-1899) English artist; German-born wildlife painter); English

Portrait of Madame Poullain-Dumesnil, 1842 (oil on canvas)
XIR180048 Portrait of Madame Poullain-Dumesnil, 1842 (oil on canvas) by Couture, Thomas (1815-79); 187x127 cm; Musee des Beaux-Arts, Rouen

Mr Collins and Elizabeth, from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1775-1817) c
XJF142898 Mr Collins and Elizabeth, from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1775-1817) c.1894 (engraving) (b/w photo) by Thomson, Hugh (1860-1920); Private Collection; British, out of copyright

Shadow drawing. C. H. Bennett, Feline
Feline. Casting the shadow of a sitting cat. Illustration from a series of shadow portraits of fictional characters by Charles H Bennett entitled Shadow and Substance, 1860

Waving to a U-Boat 1916
Two German ladies wave farewell to a U-boat

Lady Dismounts
A lady in her riding habit is helped to dismount by a gentleman

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"Hankerchief: A Timeless Accessory Reflecting the Diversity of History" From Oscar Wilde's elegant wit to Winston Churchill's iconic image, the hankerchief has witnessed and adorned countless moments in history, and is a symbol of refinement, practicality, and even seduction. In the late 19th century, dapper gentlemen like Thatcher and Sidney Chun would delicately unfold their hankerchiefs as they engaged in intellectual conversations reminiscent of Oscar Wilde himself. Meanwhile, Marlborough sailors would use them for more rugged purposes - splitting a spar with precision and skill. During World War II, hankerchiefs took on new roles. Winston Churchill became an indomitable figure with his machine gun in one hand, cigar in another, all while donning his signature hat - a powerful propaganda image that still resonates today. But it wasn't just men who embraced this accessory. A blonde girl with a seductive smile captured hearts through chromolitho prints that showcased her allure alongside her delicate hankerchief. The working class found solace in these small pieces of fabric too. The English Labourer depicted by engravings wore one proudly as he toiled away under challenging conditions during the Industrial Revolution. Amidst wartime secrecy and cautionary tales about careless talk endangering lives came comic postcards from the WW2 era reminding people to keep their lips sealed – perhaps wiping away any loose words with their trusty hankies. Artists also immortalized historical figures using hankerchiefs as props or symbols within their masterpieces. Margherita of Savoy's portrait showed her elegance enhanced by an exquisite lace-trimmed handkerchief held gracefully between her fingers. Farewell scenes were painted on boards where tearful goodbyes were accompanied by heartfelt waves of white cloth bidding adieu. Even everyday life was captured through sepia photographs showcasing ordinary individuals like charwomen who carried not only brooms but also hankerchiefs, a practical tool for their laborious tasks.