Handkerchief

This commemorative handkerchief was manufactured by L. & G. Cramer of Düsseldorf, Germany for the Centennial Exhibition of 1876. In the center is the Memorial Hall Art Gallery surrounded by roundels containing the Agricultural Hall, Horticultural Hall, Machinery Hall, and the Main Exhibition Building. Between the two top roundels is an eagle with a shield flag and a banner clasped in its beak that reads “E Pluribus Unum.” The exhibition took place at Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park from May 10–November 10, 1876 and had thirty-seven participating countries and close to ten million visitors. Printed by engraved roller on cotton, this commemorative handkerchief is noteworthy for the clarity and crispness of the architectural details and provides several different perspectives of important buildings as they appeared in the park. Other details include visitors strolling through the spacious grounds or riding in carriages. Versions with a dark red border were also produced.

The high quality of the architectural renderings made this handkerchief an important addition to the collection. Other Centennial commemoratives in the Textile collection are limited to small-patterned printed textiles with portrait medallions of presidents, shield flags and the Liberty Bell.

Handkerchief; Manufactured by L. & G. Cramer; cotton; H x W: 66.7 × 68.9 cm (26 1/4 × 27 1/8 in.); American Textile History Museum Collection, gift of Helena Wright; 2016-35-71

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Botanical Expressions.