Muslin Handkerchief

1790-1820

The market revolution of the 1700s expanded people’s access to goods from around the globe. American merchants and business owners in the early republic acquired and sold a variety of smaller goods such as tea from China and ceramics from England. Handkerchiefs from India—such as this one made of pink and blue muslin—often appeared in merchants’ ledger accounts. For instance, Ramsay recorded an imported “Sastracundy” handkerchief, the name indicating its Southern Indian origin. As a fashionable and practical accessory, men and women wore the piece of cloth about the neck, tucked into a pocket, or carried in the hand. This Indian handkerchief is made with a pink and blue pattern on white muslin. It has a floral border 2” wide. Floral sprigs overall and a floral medallion details the center.