Handkerchief Case

Have you ever seen a satin tissue box?
Before disposable facial tissues appeared in 1924, people relied on washable cloth handkerchiefs, and keeping them clean was a pretty snotty job.
After spending hours washing, wringing, ironing and folding a household full of handkerchiefs, you didn't want all that work and time wasted. That is where the handkerchief case came in.
Usually kept in a dresser drawer, on a dressing table, or packed inside a suitcase, these decorative cases protected neatly folded handkerchiefs from dust, snags, and wrinkles.
Many were made from silk or satin and decorated with embroidery, lace, ribbons, hand-painted flowers, or tiny padded details.
Some even held a scented sachet, allowing the handkerchiefs to pick up a pleasant fragrance before being tucked into a pocket or handbag.
Handkerchief cases were especially popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s, when a fine lace-trimmed or monogrammed handkerchief could be a treasured accessory. The cases were also popular sewing projects and handmade gifts, which is why so many surviving examples are wonderfully unique.
It was a lot of elegance devoted to a rather inelegant task, but then why not make even life’s smallest details as beautiful as possible?