Vintage Children's Hankies Not to be Sneezed at by Anne McCollam on Creators.com

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Vintage Children's Hankies Not to be Sneezed at

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a child's vintage handkerchief that is one of a dozen that I have. They are approximately 8 inches square, are hemmed and in mint condition. Each hanky features a variety of scenes that include animals, children at play and the Easter Bunny.

Are children's hankies collectible and do they have any value?

A: Vintage children's hankies are collectible. They are also used for sewing projects that include adult fashions and doll clothes. Yours were made around the 1950s and are worth $5 to $15 each.

Q: This mark is on the back of an earthenware tray that has been in our family for several generations. My aunt gave it to my mother probably in the 1930s. She used to make a delicious stollen pastry at Christmas and then served it on the tray. The tray is decorated with a winter scene of 10 young women in long coats. Several of them are making snowballs and throwing them at a young man. It measures 16 by 6 inches, and there is a handle on either end. Signed on the front left side are the letters "H. Loux."

Anything you can tell me will be appreciated.

A: Your tray was made by the Sarreguemines Faience Factory in Lorraine, France. It has been in business since 1770. "H. Loux" is the signature of designer, Henri Loux. He created the "Obernai" pattern, which is the name of a city in France.

It is a transfer print that featured landscapes, castles, animals and people.

Your circa 1930 tray would probably be worth $100 to $125.

BOOK REVIEW

"Hankie Couture: Hand-crafted Fashions From Vintage Handkerchiefs" was written by Marsha Greenberg. "Hankie Couture" is a stunning collection of doll size fashions completely crafted from vintage hankies by designer and author, Marsha Greenberg. This book showcases 125 unique fashions that include sundresses, wedding gowns, suits, lounge ware and pajamas. Greenberg has provided patterns and how-to instructions to create your own doll designs. Beautiful colorful illustrations make this book a joy to read and an inspiration to readers. Her website is hankiecouture.com, and her creations can be found on eBay.

"Hankie Couture" by Marsha Greenberg is published by Running Press, Philadelphia, PA at $15. It can be found at bookstores.

Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P. O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters. To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.