WWI souvenir handkerchief

item details

NameWWI souvenir handkerchief

ProductionUnknown; manufacturer(s); 1914-1918; United Kingdom

Classificationhandkerchiefs, souvenirs, commemoratives

Materialscotton, ink

Materials Summaryprinted textile

Techniquesprinting

DimensionsOverall: 310mm (width), 325mm (height)

Registration NumberGH010099

Credit lineGift of Peter Martin, 2002

Overview

This handkerchief was made as a souvenir during World War I. It features an image of Admiral Sir John Rushworth Jellicoe (1859-1935) who was the Commander of the British Grand Fleet. Jellicoe was one of the Allies' most influential people, and the latest technology of the day (fighter planes, battleships, and an airship) is featured alongside his portrait.

Commemorating
Unlike battlefield objects, this handkerchief was produced with the intention of celebrating certain aspects of World War I (also known as the Great War). It probably commemorates one of the most famous and successful naval battles of the war, the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

War souvenirs
War souvenirs are sometimes mass-produced. In the case of this printed cotton handkerchief, mass production would have met the demands of a public eager to celebrate victory.