1900s Handmade Embroidered Handkerchief

By: Emelia Thompson

Type: Women’s Accessories

Location: Canada

Place of origin: Croatia, 1900

Made in: Croatia

Source: Eileen Thompson, Emelia Thompson

Worn/used by: Emelia Giurichich for everyday use

Brand: Handmade

Object particulars: White handkerchief with red and white stitching and “EG” embroidered in white

Categories: Women’s Accessories, Women’s Clothes footwear

Brief description: 1900s handmade handkerchief with initials ‘EG’ and flower embroidered

Physical description: Tonal and red contrast stitching on white cotton textile. White ‘EG’ and flower embroidery.

Purpose: Accessory for fashion and personal use

Materials and technique: Cotton red and white stitching, embroidered with white stitching

Historical Use: In the early 1900s, handkerchiefs were prominent in women’s fashion and social etiquette. They were not only practical for personal use, such as wiping one’s face or hands, but they also held symbolic value. Women often carried embroidered or monogrammed handkerchiefs in their purses or pockets, showcasing refinement and attention to detail in their attire. Handkerchiefs were sometimes given as gifts or tokens of affection, and they were used to convey hidden messages in a subtle language of gestures, colours, knots and folds, adding an intriguing layer of communication and to social interactions in the early 1900s.

Personal Connection: This handkerchief is my Great Great-Grandmother’s, which she handmade herself. Her name was Emelia Giuricich, and I received my name from her.

This item was found when going through my late Great-Grandmother’s belongings. It belonged to her mother, my Great-Great-Grandmother, Emelia Giuricich. Emelia was born in 1897 in Croatia and immigrated to Canada, where she married a shipbuilder and captain, Matt Martinolich, on February 17, 1917. My Great-Great-Grandmother handstitched and embroidered the handkerchief herself. I remember hearing anecdotes of my Great-Great-Grandmother back in her day. My Great-Grandmother would tell me how she would “accidentally” drop her handkerchief on the ground and wait for a man to pick it up for her as her way of flirting. I wonder if she used this technique when she met my Great-Great-Grandfather. Although I never met my Great-Great-Grandmother, I feel connected to her by this item and through my name. I was given my first name, Emelia, from her, and it is special to have this name as well as something that she handmade.