Featured 1930s USA handkerchiefs

The appearance of Peoria, Illinois (apparently the site of the 1938 Republican State Convention) reminds me of an old saying in politics - "How will it play in Peoria?" - meaning that Peoria represents the heartland of America, away of the major cities and home to "plain folk."

 

I'm not really sure what to make of the one with just the date "Feb 17 1937" but in searching on that date, the biggest national news was the loss of 10 men building the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/27/153778083/75-years-later-building-the-golden-gate-bridge

 

Maybe the ones with just the city or location written on them were purchased at those locations.

 

Wow, just taking in your posts Bakers. Thank you so much!


And what odds that Mansons would be friends with Marian Anderson?

 

I agree, Peggy.

Manitou, Colorado is home to a "spa."

Avon Park, Florida is a lake area in the middle of the state (although on my 1997 Rand McNally maps the biggest thing in the area was the Avon Park Bombing Range.

Aguascalientes, Mexico is quite far south into the country. "Hot springs" I guess.

BTW, I could not find a "famous" Rose Stevens (#29) and there are entirely too many women of that name in 1940 census records to identify her without a place.

 

Bear, what number is that one? Do you mean theCanada flag?

 

That's the old one before they adopted the Maple Leaf. They've only used the latter in my lifetime, but I've seen the older one before.

 

Just "social" friends - as I mentioned, a relative had a country "farm" next to hers in Danbury, CT. She and her husband were well known and very active in the community and very well respected. That is why no one has ever figured out the alleged brouhaha over Jackie Robinson's attempt to buy in CT (Danbury and Stamford were both considered "country retreats" for New Yorkers). Some still think it was a publicity ruse by Simon (I forget his name, but he was the publishing Simon, Carly Simon's father) who brought the Robinson family to live with him while his house was being built. Yeah, there were colour lines, but most were blurred for those with accomplishments. The Robinson thing may have been because he was sports related and even back then it was more of a class thing than a racial thing.

Sorry for taking you off course - AGAIN - but having traveled in circles where racism was the norm, the differences and exceptions to the "rules" have always fascinated me.

 

Ah, is THAT what it is! I'd squinted enough at it that I thought it was a Red Ensign. Forgot the old Canadian flag.

This is the best thread here in a long time.

 

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this thread, with special thanks to Bakersgma for all her research!

I've learned a lot about personalities, places and events, even that red hankies were used to blot lipstick!

Thank you all!

 

One final request! Earlier in the thread it was suggested that this collection not be broken up, which is what we had initially intended to do.

I'd be interested in your views, but please accept we supplement our pension with sales of antiques and collectables and these were not cheap to acquire!

 

After disseminating PILES of family goods with sentimental value, the one thing I learned (and had to abide by) was that the $$$$ rules. Sentimental or historical context are all very well and good - but they don't pay the grocer.....so do what makes you the best profit.....as much as it hurts your sensibilities.........

Well, you asked...............sorry if that offends any purists!

 

This may be irrelevant, but I went back to see whether the answer was in OP. We know that many, if not all, are tacked to some backing with thread. Are they all on separate "pages" or are any grouped? Were they all in some kind of "book?"

As much as it might be nice to sell all together, the "subjects" may in many cases be attractive to buyers on their own, but not in the context of such a large group. Perhaps, if it can be done without ruining the hankies, you could make "groups" - radio people, opera singers, men of letters, "Illinois names," for instance, and offer the really big names - Marian Anderson, Zane Grey, for instance - on their own.

One underlying problem with autographs is the matter of provenance. And this group really doesn't have any other than what you know about where you got it.

 

The Long Island Express hurricane was in 1938?
Grand parents told me about that one long ago.

 

There was a Hurricane of 1938 which crossed the island and hit the shores on the north side of the Sound. And because forecasting was almost non-existent then, no one in its path was the least bit prepared.

But when I looked into 1937, I found the Ohio River Flood of January 1937 which had even more extensive devastation.

 

OTOH when it came ashore in CT it did a lot of financial damage, because it hit the expensive houses on the shore. Quite a few people here died in that mess.

 

Of course you are correct, Ruth, and I did not mean to downplay that hurricane in my reply. Was just pointing out why 1937 was important in the context of the hankies and how awful a situation is was for those living all long the Ohio River and surrounding areas.

 

That's one flood history teachers here never covered. Then again I wouldn't have known about Jonestown without it becoming a common turn of phrase used by older adults.

 

Hi Evelyb30,
I think you meant to say the JOHNSTOWN flood. I remember years ago my great aunt and uncle calling the state police since people were digging up the back of their property. It seems that after the flood, train loads of the remains were buried there.
I was poking around and found several china animals from the flood. I always wanted to go back and dig for treasure there. Johnstown is also famous for the trains Horseshoe Bend. We used to take the train on class trips just to see the engine and caboose at the same time.
greg

 

Yep - Jonestown was in Guyana, and was a manmade disaster. That one I do remember. Horseshoe Curve is very familiar; my dad was a rail nut.