Collections Database

Description:
Man's printed silk neckerchief, also known as a bandanna, barcelona, or choppa. This example may have been made in India for the Western market, or possibly printed in England using Indian or Chinese silk. Bandannas and romals were important exports from India to Europe and America in the 18th and early 19th centuries. They were usually block printed in lengths of cloth about one yard wide (sometimes 12 kerchiefs per length of cloth), and could be cut up and sold as individual items. By the early 19th century, bandannas were available in a wide variety of styles, colors, and prices, becoming a common and colorful menswear accessory.

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2000.22.3

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