Handkerchief Heroes: a slide show and discussion with Ann Mahony

Handkerchiefs have served us in life’s tender moments – catching a bride’s tears of joy, worn over a soldier’s heart as he marches into battle, fashioned into a newborn’s christening bonnet, as well as life’s large celebrations – waving bon voyage from an ocean liner, cheering “hooray” at the Super Bowl or royal coronation. Handkerchiefs were the Pinterest of their day, recording our progression from railroad to air travel, from the birth of television to women’s right to vote, from Shakespearean sonnets to children’s nursery rhymes. Come discover the stories hidden in their folds; let your eye delight, your mind engage and your heart connect with these survivors of history.

Join Ann Mahony, a historian of vintage artifacts and handkerchief collector, as she shares pieces from her private collection.

Sunday, February 25th, 2018

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Main Library - Learning Studio, 5th Floor

Visit the Art, Music & Recreation Center on the 4th Floor to visit The Amazing Handkerchief Chronicler of Romance, Heroism, History, Fashion and Art through the Ages display and for your chance to win a vintage wedding handkerchief.

NEW EXHIBIT (1/27/18 - 5/17/18)

The Amazing Handkerchief:

Chronicler of Romance, Heroism, History, Fashion and Art through the Ages

The ubiquitous handkerchief is with us in large and small moments of life–wrapping a child’s cut finger, catching a bride’s tears of joy, worn over a soldier’s heart into battle. Handkerchiefs date back to the Chou dynasty (1000 BCE) and possibly earlier. Once considered a sign of nobility, they later transitioned into a coveted accessory for both fashion and flirting.

Their size and versatility made handkerchiefs the perfect souvenir. From the Paris Exposition of 1900 to the 1939 New York World’s Fair, handkerchiefs carried images of architecture, amusements and adventures to share and remember. Many were saved and passed to future generations, along with the stories and memories they carried.

In times of sacrifice - the Great Depression, World War II - handkerchiefs were often the lone adornment a woman could afford, costing between five and fifty cents. Vogue magazine carried ads for “Handkerchief of the Month”. After the war, Balmain, Dior, Rochas, and others continued to feature handkerchiefs as a final touch to their haute couture.

These couriers of history carried images that recorded our progression from steamship to railway to flight, from women’s suffrage to the birth of television, and from children’s nursery rhymes to Shakespearean sonnets. “Hankies” chronicled adventure, travel, romance, history, politics, sports and more, with style, wit and enchanting graphics. Come discover the stories hidden in their evanescent folds. Your mind will engage and your heart will connect with these heroes of history. Also, you'll have a chance to win your very own vintage handkerchief in our "Hankie in a Hankie" drawing! (see the Art, Music & Recreation reference desk for details)

This private collection has been curated and shared by Ann Mahony, a historian of vintage artifacts and handkerchief collector (over 5,000+ pieces including several over a century old!). Her blogs include www.TheAccidentalCollector.com and www.HandkerchiefHeroes.com. She is a member of the Textile Arts Council, deYoung Museum, The Vintage Fashion Guild, The Costume Society of America and the National Speakers Association. Ann is a handwriting and forgery expert by trade (www.forgerysleuth.com) and is thus habituated to searching for the obscure and interesting.

Related Program: Handkerchief Heroes

Slide show and discussion with Ann Mahony

Sunday, February 25, 2 PM

Learning Studio, Bridge at the Main, 5th Floor

Ukulele for Absolute Beginners

On Jan. 27th the Art, Music, and Recreation Center launched its first ever ukulele workshop. This is an on-going workshop for those with no experience playing an instrument. Staff are there to help patrons with the basics, which include, tuning, holding, strumming and forming chords on the ukulele.

The workshop meets the last Saturday of the month in the 5th floor Learning Center from 2-3pm. It is open to all ages and ukulele's are provided (to use in class) for the first 10 patrons. You can also bring your own or borrow one from a friend.

Here's a link to the next workshop on February 24, 2018.

For those ready to dig into our collection of ukulele song and method books, here are a few suggestions:


Jake Shimabukuro Teaches Ukulele Lessons (Hal Leonard, 2017).

The 4 Chord Ukulele Songbook (Cherry Lane Music, 2013).

Play Ukulele Today!: A Complete Guide to the Basics. Level 1, by Barrett Tagliarino (Hal Leonard, 2015).