Vintage Souvenirs

One of the things I love to find on my hunt for vintage lace bits and buttons are old souvenirs.  Souvenir in French means to remember. When we buy souvenirs it is to remember our trip or travels.

In years past, to buy handmade items with the name of the place visited was the norm. I have read accounts where some inhabitants of the towns made this type of thing as it gave them a means of employment. Now it is hard to find something not made in China. 

Unfortunately relegated to second hand shops and flea markets are some of those old souvenirs. Here are just a couple of the ones I have found lately in my wanderings through Berlins' second hand shops and flea markets, so sit back and enjoy the small tour.

A recently find was this red work souvenir. It shows the old castle in Heidelberg and is linen with cotton redwork embroidery. From the look of it, it once hung on a wall or over a small window:

 The words "Alt Heidelberg du Feine" comes from The Badnerlied (Song of the People of Baden Germany) is the unofficial hymn of the former state of Baden, now part of Baden-Württemberg.

The words were taken from a poem "The Trumpeteer of Säckingen", written around 1852 by Joseph Victor von Scheffel, who resided in Baden.

Verse 3 of the song:

Alt Heidelberg du feine,

du Stadt an Ehren reich

am Nekar und am Rheine,

keine and're kommt dir gleich

Old Heidelberg, you noble city

rich in honors

On the banks of the Neckar and on the Rhine,

You are without equal 

The things you learn when you find old linens...

Redwork like the above example were a very common purchase for a souvenir. In storage right now is a small collection of similar ones from Alsace I picked up when I lived in France. I have no pictures of them, but when I picked up the first two I thought how fun it would be to make something with a number of them if I was ever lucky enough to find more. I might now have enough of them.

Also common to purchase were handkerchiefs. Here is one from Kirchberg Austria in Tyrol. Tirol is a beautiful vacation spot in both winter and summer for tourists. 

This handkerchief is hand embroidered on a cotton fabric using what appears to be silk thread. The lace work is the type I have found that predates WWII.

Moving into France, Saint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.  One of the 10 Dioceses of Belgica, The town has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. The town was named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred there in the 3rd century. Of course there is a church and would be of interest as a tourist destination.

Notice here a date on the handkerchief of 1916. 

If any of you collect old lace, you can put a date on when the pattern of the edging lace now. The embroidery hand done in silk on a cotton fabric.

Lastly, I will point out the handkerchief in the back ground of the last two pictures. It is certainly from Belgium. I have seen these on my visits there in museums and for sale in shops. When they have been for sale, they have be very expensive.

The handkerchief is hand embroidered edging on English netting. The workmanship is stunning!

Lastly, no post would be complete right now without a look at last weeks TAST. We were asked to do the blanket stitch and so here, in blue, right up next to week 1's design is my rendition: