Wednesday thru Friday 10 AM -1 PM
Saturday 10 AM - 12 PM
or by appointment
a rare antique 1840s handkerchief ~
As I often say, I never know what my next exciting project will be . . .
and this one is a rare one indeed ~
Back in the 1800s doctors used what was called a "doctor in a pocket." This is a rare piece I had the honor of custom framing in December. Now you may wonder exactly what a doc in the pocket is and you won't be alone.
It is a large scarf doctors would carry with them. During that era, doctors were apprentices and this scarf gave them an array of symptoms so they could diagnose and treat their patients as they traveled along the countryside.
This image above is the piece before the framing, after stitching and matting.
Take a look at a close-up of some of the illustrations. They are written in French, These scarves were also also known as an illustrated handkerchief. The detail is amazing.
. . . what a wonderful piece of history to frame and keep forever.