Handkerchief buttons and bandstrings

There is a 1640s Cry of London that shows a woman selling “bandestringes or hankercher buttons.” [Figure 1] These accessories where popular in the first half of the seventeenth century, not only in England, but also in the Netherlands. Strictly speaking handkerchief buttons are not buttons, they do not button anything, they are little tassels as can be seen in Rembrandt’s portrait of Catrina Hooghsaet, who has buttons (tassels) on her handkerchief and her neckerchief, and bandstrings with end tassels at her neck. [Figure 2]

Figure 1. Cryes of London. Bandstrings or handkerchief buttons

 

These items could be purchased from peddlers, chapmen, haberdashers and mercers. Peddler Avis Clarke in Stratford upon Avon had in her stock “on[e] papear of hancharves buttones 18d” and “to disson of bandstrings 18d” in 1624. (1 pp. 18-23) In 1632 the mercer Thomas Harris in Charlbury, Oxfordshire had “5 pear of band strings & looce buttens 9d.” In 1670 the chapman Richard Baylis had “one box of silke wares and a parcell of bandstrings £2 18s.” (2 pp. 134-5) Newcastle chapman William Mackerell had over 120 pairs of badsprings in his stock in 1642, these may have been plain, without tassels, as they cost as little as 8d per dozen. 

Figure 2: Rembrandt. Catrina Hooghsaet. 1657

 

Purchased by the gentry they could be considerably more expensive. James Master purchases several in his accounts. In 1648 he buys, “for buttons to them [handkerchiefs]  1s,” and in 1650, “or 6 sett of handkerchiefe buttons 4s 6d.” (3 p. 177 & 191) The accounts of the Marquis of Hertfoed have in 1641, “for handkercher buttons for my Lord 2s.” (4 p. 23) Some people considered them important enough to be mentioned in wills. In 1622 a yeoman, Isaiah Showell, leaves, “Cossen Bezaleel Knyght the plaine cambric handkerchiff that hath four buttons at the coorners.” (5 pp. 18-23)  Isaiah Showell’s handkerchief was plain cambric, a survival in the Victoria and Albert Museum is embroidered, and has buttons, more like toggles at each corner. [Figure 3]

Figure 3: Handkerchief, 1600-30. Victoria and Albert Museum.

 

Some ends to the bandstrings could be very intricate, as can be seen on a couple of survivals in the Manchester collection, for example the bandstrings attached to a ruff in the Manchester Collection. [Figure 4] 

Figure 4: Tassels attached to the ruff. 1600-30. Manchester Art Gallery

 

References

1. Jones, J, ed. Stratford-upon-Avon Inventories,volume 1, 1538-1625. Stratford-upon-Avon : Dugdale Society , 2002.

2. Jones, J. ed. Stratford-upon-Avon Inventories, Part 2: 1626-1699. Stratford-upon-Avon : The Dugdale Society, 2003.

3. Robertson, S. The expense Book of James Master 1646-1676 [Part 1, 1646-1655], transcribed by Mrs Dallison. Archaeologia Cantiana. 1883, Vol. 15, 152-216, pp. 152-216.

4. Morgan, F. C. Private Purse Accounts of the Marquis of Hertford, Michaelmas 1641-2. Antiquaries Journal. 1945, Vols. 25, 12-42, pp. 12-42.

5. Brinkworth E.R.C. and Gibson, J.S.W. eds. Banbury wills and inventories. Pt.2, 1621-1650. Banbury Historical Society. 1976, Vol. 14.

6. Vaisey, D. G. A Charlbury mercer's shop 1623 (viz 1632). Oxoniensia. 1966, Vol. 31, 101-16.