Scarf (Kerchief)

Description

This is a plain-woven cotton kerchief, or scarf, with two selvedge edges and two hemmed edges. It has a woven plaid design in off-white, red, yellow, and green. Two thick stripes of yellow create a frame along the kerchief’s outer edges. Kerchiefs were popular accessories for both men and women in the 19th century, both for their functional qualities and as an inexpensive way to add a splash of color to an outfit. This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017.