Silk handkerchief from the travel wardrobe trunk used by Cab Calloway: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A handkerchief from the travel wardrobe trunk used by Cab Calloway. The silk handkerchief is primarily gray with blue-gray edges and design elements. The handkerchief features a square pattern of alternating, ornate fleur-de-lis, stylized lions, griffins, and chimeras printed inside a square border of repeating, small, simple fleur-de-lis. The pattern is reversed on the back. Attached at one corner is a small, navy blue fabric tag with gray embroidered text that reads [ALL SILK / MADE IN ITALY / R.N. 22280]. The back of the tag is plain.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: mid 20th-late 20th century
• Manufactured by: Unidentified
• Worn by: Cab Calloway, American, 1907 - 1994
• Type: handkerchiefs
• Medium: silk (textile)
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 19 1/8 × 18 7/8 × 1/16 in. (48.6 × 48 × 0.2 cm)
• Place made: Italy, Europe
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Band (Music)
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Conductors (Musicians)
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: A2015.273.1.1.12
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No known copyright restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.