{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O139663"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O139663/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MJ6210/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MJ6210/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MJ6210","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014GX7239","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014GX7240","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O139663/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O139663","accessionNumber":"T.49-1957","objectType":"Handkerchief","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This is a mourning handkerchief owned by Queen Victoria. It  is of the finest cambric linen and the embroidery  shows her own cipher. Victorian etiquette ruled that widows went into deep mourning (called First Mourning) for a year and a day after the death of their husband.  \r\n\r\nSome sources advised that during this time only black handkerchiefs should be used. This advice varied, and a complete list of clothes needed for respectable First Mourning and published in the 1881 issue of <i>Sylvia's Home Journal</i>  included 'Twelve handkerchiefs with black borders, for ordinary use, cambric' and 'Twelve of finer cambric for better occasions'.  Decoration, in the form of black edging, took a number of forms from plain printed or woven borders to black embroidery, as in this example, and narrowed as mourning diminished. \r\n\r\nIt is not possible to date this handkerchief accurately.  The depth of Queen Victoria's anguish on the death of Prince Albert meant that her mourning extended the usual periods acceptable and, as royalty, she set or flouted trends to suit herself. The handkerchief  was given to the Museum along with other royal accessories by the Duke of Gloucester, a great grandson of Queen Victoria.","physicalDescription":"Linen handkerchief with two scalloped borders of black and white silk in buttonhole stitch. Embroideredbetween each border is a small spot motif in satin and stem stitches. In one corner Queen Victoria's monogram is embroidered in satin stitch","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"linen (material)","id":"AAT14069"},{"text":"silk yarn","id":"THES285929"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidery","id":"x40351"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Fine linen cambric, embroidered with black silk","categories":[{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2019MJ6210","2014GX7239","2014GX7240"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES308906"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Handkerchief","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1861-1901","earliest":"1861-01-01","latest":"1901-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"46","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"46","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 21/09/1999 by LH","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8877"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"embroidery","position":"Embroidered with Queen Victoria's cipher","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"owner's mark","note":"owner's mark; Embroidered with Queen Victoria's cipher; embroidery"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Queen Victoria's Mourning Handkerchief, English, 1861-1901","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"mourning","id":"AAT238450"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nQueen Victoria popularised the use of special mourning handkerchiefs. This is one of many that were made for her during her long period of mourning for Prince Albert, who died in 1861. Widows usually used either black handkerchiefs or white handkerchiefs edged with black.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["T.49-1957"],"accessionNumberNum":"49","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1957,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2007-09-28","availableToBook":true}}