Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Handkerchief Commemorating the Coronation of Queen Victoria, 1838

Handkerchief
English, 1838
The Victoria & Albert Museum

As part of my recent collecting of objects related to Royal coronations and jubilees, I’ve become interested in handkerchiefs commemorating these events. These textiles are difficult to come by. Though the really weren’t designed to be used on a daily basis, many were, and therefore haven’t survived in good condition. Others simply have been ruined by time.

Here’s one from the Victoria & Albert Museum which commemorates the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. Made in England by an unknown manufacturer, this block-printed silk square reads—amidst a border of crowns "LONG LIVE VICTORIA QUEEN OF ENGLAND.” The central image shows the interior of Westminster Abbey and the scene of the Coronation in vivid colors.

The central image is captioned, “CORONATION OF HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY/QUEEN VICTORIA/JUNE 1838.”