western australia

I guess it's an heirloom - my handkerchief box

@JudyEv (382107)

Rockingham, Australia

November 16, 2022 4:26am CST

When I was a young girl, everyone used handkerchiefs rather than tissues. I can’t remember if tissues were available but, if they were, we didn’t buy them. Handkerchiefs were sometimes kept in handkerchief boxes which could take a variety of forms. A friend of my mother’s made the one in the photo for me. Christmas and other cards were placed between two layers of heavy plastic and used to make the panels. These were then crocheted together. Mine would have to be at least 50 years old.

21 people like this

22 responses

@DaddyEvil (174500)

• United States

16 Nov 22

I've never seen anything like that before. It's pretty, whatever you use it for.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Nov 22

I actually keep jewellery in it now and the hankies are in a larger box.

2 people like this

@DaddyEvil (174500)

• United States

17 Nov 22

@JudyEv I have a wooden box with bears on the lid that I keep jewelry in. Pretty has an upright chest about 8 inches tall by 5 inches wide and 3 inches deep with glass doors that she stores her jewelry in.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

@DaddyEvil I gave away a lot of cheap jewellery from my younger days to a lady in the village who makes jewelllery and bits and pieces from old stuff.

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@Happy2BeMe (99353)

• Canada

16 Nov 22

Wow that is very nice.

3 people like this

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

@Happy2BeMe For women isolated on farms, the CWA would have kept some of them sane, I'm sure.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Nov 22

The Country Women's Association (CWA) was like a Mother's Union I guess and as well as their normal meetings they'd sometimes have craft days and learn all sorts of things.

2 people like this

@Happy2BeMe (99353)

• Canada

16 Nov 22

@JudyEv That is very cool. They dont do things like that anymore and it was good for the women to get together.

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@rsa101 (40976)

• Philippines

16 Nov 22

Nice personalized box. I have never seen anything like this and you should keep and preserve it as much as possible. You could already consider it an antique item.

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@rsa101 (40976)

• Philippines

18 Nov 22

@JudyEv I guess this can be considered an antique already. I doubt many still have this preserved like yours.

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Nov 22

They used to be all the rage but I've no idea how many would still be in existence.

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

@rsa101 That could well be so.

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (51823)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

16 Nov 22

I have a cloth 'envelope' that my mother kept her hankies in... have the hankies, too.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

I have a couple of hand-embroidered hankies that are very old. I have seen a container like you're described.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (502491)

• Italy

16 Nov 22

This is pretty, I also used handkerchiefs when I was young. I do not believe that tissues were available. I had an embroidered rectangular bag where to keep my handkerchiefs.

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@LadyDuck (502491)

• Italy

17 Nov 22

@JudyEv I see her comment, the term "envelope" is correct. I have to find mine and take a photo.

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

@LadyDuck That's a good idea. I'd like to see it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

BarBaraPrz mentions a cloth bag too. I hadn't heard of them.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

16 Nov 22

Wow! It's beautiful! I used handkerchiefs as a kid, but not often. We had tissues by that time.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

17 Nov 22

@JudyEv Yes, it is.

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

I still use hankies. I guess some of it is what you're used to.

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@rebelann (117238)

• El Paso, Texas

16 Nov 22

Wow, that's really pretty and to me very unusual. I remember my dad using handkerchiefs all the time and mom always kept one in her purse but I can't recall if she had a special place for them. I didn't have anything like this but it would have been nice if I had.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Nov 22

I actually keep jewellery in this one and have a bigger wooden box for our hankies.

2 people like this

@wolfgirl569 (135791)

• Marion, Ohio

16 Nov 22

That is very pretty

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

It's starting to look its age but I'll keep it for the moment.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238317)

• Walnut Creek, California

17 Nov 22

I don't remember handkerchiefs from childhood days, but I currently use some old Covid masks as handkerchiefs when I am at home or in my car.

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@TheHorse (238317)

• Walnut Creek, California

18 Nov 22

@JudyEv They're not just the stuff of movies?

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

@TheHorse I think there are still a few around who use hankies.

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

That's a good use for old masks. We still use hankies.

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@thelme55 (79324)

• Germany

17 Nov 22

That box looks beautiful. When I was a teenager, I was using handkerchief and always carrying it with me to wipe my face. We didn’t have tissues at that time.

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

We always had hankies and still use them. I have tissues in the house but don't use them much.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Nov 22

@thelme55 Tissues are probably more hygienic.

@thelme55 (79324)

• Germany

20 Nov 22

@JudyEv I don’t use hankies anymore. I use tissues now as I can throw them immediately after using.

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@LindaOHio (222417)

• United States

16 Nov 22

That's really cool. I remember using hankies.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

I still use them. Vince does too. Tissues are pretty useless for me as my nose always seems to be needing a wipe. lol

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Krissttina Isobe

@oahuwriter (26773)

• United States

17 Nov 22

My lacquer tissue box.

Creative! I've always had facial tissue. Lacquer box for it years back is what I have. This tissue box is over a decade old.

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

That's really pretty too. I guess you bought it somewhere?

1 person likes this

Krissttina Isobe

@oahuwriter (26773)

• United States

19 Nov 22

@JudyEv Yes, at I believe at either Shirokia when they were a retailer or Iida Imports Store.

1 person likes this

@Beestring (15372)

• Hong Kong

16 Nov 22

What a beautiful box!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Nov 22

Thanks. They used to be quite common but I've seen any for a while now.

2 people like this

@Treborika (18194)

• Mombasa, Kenya

17 Nov 22

It's very nice and have liked it so much. When I was young I too liked handkerchief

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

We still use handkerchiefs.

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

@Treborika That's when you need them most.

@Treborika (18194)

• Mombasa, Kenya

18 Nov 22

@JudyEv I don't use too often. I use it especially when having a running nose or flu

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@shaggin (74987)

• United States

16 Nov 22

So it is definitely much more light weight then it looks. I don’t like anything that can only be used once so I have been using hankies for about 20 years

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@shaggin (74987)

• United States

17 Nov 22

@JudyEv it can be hard to keep up with the laundry enough to have enough hankies to go around when we are sick here.

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

We still use hankies. If I'm in bed with a cold and my nose is streaming I use toilet paper.

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@Archie0 (5654)

•

17 Nov 22

This is indeed a keep. So precious. The old Christmas cards, the carefully crafted box. It is for sure a heirloom. I always wished I had something from childhood to preserve. But duh!

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

It's hard to know at the time what is worth saving and what isn't. The fact that this had a use is probably what kept it from being thrown out.

@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

17 Nov 22

Oh Judy, believe it or not, you have reminded me of a box like this I had years ago. I purchased it at an auction. For a very cheap price. I gave it to my Mother RIP..but it was so lovely like this one..I do not know what happened to it. Sadly. Yours is lovely

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

Different handcrafts come and go, in and out of fashion.

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@Ronrybs (21497)

• London, England

17 Nov 22

Not heard of a handkerchief box before. That one looks very professionally made. I wonder if they still make them?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

It was a handcraft fashion of the day. I doubt they'll still made.

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@FayeHazel (40230)

• United States

17 Nov 22

Oh how nice. Thanks for sharing.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Nov 22

You're welcome. I'm surprised it created so much interest.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

16 Nov 22

My Grandmother always kept a handkerchief in her purse and bible. I now have all of hers, handkerchief, purse and bible. So very special. Such a nice box here.

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@JudyEv (382107)

• Rockingham, Australia

17 Nov 22

We still use hankies but I have tissues in the house as well.

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@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

17 Nov 22

@JudyEv It is a nice box.

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