Textile fragment, printed

Description

Mystic Print and Dye Works, located in Medford, Massachusetts, printed this yardage of children’s handkerchiefs around 1880. This yardage includes two different designs printed in repeat along two columns, which would be cut into individual handkerchiefs before being sold. Printed handkerchiefs, including ones designed for children, were produced in America since the late 18th century, but until 1850 they tended to only have educational, moralistic, or religious themes. In the mid-19th century, as “childhood” came to be seen as a unique period of life, handkerchief designs changed in turn, incorporating playful themes such as nursey rhymes, fairy tales, and games. The two designs printed on this yardage are examples of the mid-century turn towards whimsy, with one design featuring jesters and acrobats and the other featuring fairy tale creatures. This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017.