April 2, 2026: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/2/2026
This is a fascinating piece from one of the more famous and prolific 19th century textile printers, S.H. Greene, represented by one of their popular Turkey Red Handkerchiefs, part of the Martha Washington line. Like another of the company’s textiles featuring cricket, the antique Turkey Red Handkerchief Bandana Child Play Football bandana was produced near the end of the 19th century and incorporates five charming vignettes of children playing football, printed in red and black ink with their traditional intricate, floral border. The bandana is approximately 13-by-12 inches, neatly framed in a period black-wood frame and glass brining the overall dimensions to 14-by-13 ½ inches. It is in an outstanding condition, jostled only by some of the customary staining frequently encountered with these bandanas. Founded at the end of the Civil War, S.H. Greene & Sons traced its family roots in the fabric business to the 18th century in Rhode Island. The company had initially focused on indigo prints, later expanding the line to Turkey Reds, kerchiefs and bandanas and small-scale florals, which they marketed as Washington Prints.
19th Century S.H. Greene Turkey Red Handkerchief Bandana Child Play Football
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