Handkerchief

Museum number:
9-12066
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21090012066
Description:
Handkerchief; Bandhni rumal (Gujerati) -- tie-dyed square; silk, tie-dyed in red and black with pattern consisting of groups of white dots (actually pinkish); L. 35.5 cm., W. 35.5 cm. Made by dyers, probably Muslim. Used by Parsi snuff takers because the dark colour would not show stains as much as a regulation white pocket handkerchief would. While the use of snuff did not depend on the possession of a handkerchief such as this, its presence was considered as an amenity.
Collection place:
Mumbai (Bombay), Maharashtra State, India
Culture or time period:
Parsi
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Handkerchiefs
Function:
5.5 Stimulants, Narcotics, and Accessories
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Handkerchief, accession number 9-12066, described as Handkerchief; Bandhni rumal (Gujerati) -- tie-dyed square; silk, tie-dyed in red and black with pattern consisting of groups of white dots (actually pinkish); L. 35.5 cm., W. 35.5 cm. Made by dyers, probably Muslim. Used by Parsi snuff takers because the dark colour would not show stains as much as a regulation white pocket handkerchief would. While the use of snuff did not depend on the possession of a handkerchief such as this, its presence was considered as an amenity.
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Handkerchief, accession number 9-12066, described as Handkerchief; Bandhni rumal (Gujerati) -- tie-dyed square; silk, tie-dyed in red and black with pattern consisting of groups of white dots (actually pinkish); L. 35.5 cm., W. 35.5 cm. Made by dyers, probably Muslim. Used by Parsi snuff takers because the dark colour would not show stains as much as a regulation white pocket handkerchief would. While the use of snuff did not depend on the possession of a handkerchief such as this, its presence was considered as an amenity.

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