Rare, unusual and interesting antique costumes and textiles; for museums and collectors looking for that extra special piece, for new and established collectors and for those with a modest budget who want to adorn their person or home.

SOLD

Peace In Our Times
1938

Britain' Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed a non-aggression pact with Germany on 30 Septemebr 1938 Peace for our time to avoid war. He gave a speech in defence of the Munich Agreement. The agreement signed by Hitler stated the German leader's desire never to go to war with Britain again. The two men met at the Munich conference with the heads of Italy and France and decided to hand over Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland province to Germany, despite not being present at the conference. FOn 1 September 1939 Germany invaded Poland. I have not been able to find out who designed and printed this scarf. See: Atkins, Jacqueline M Wearing Propaganda:Textiles on the Home Front in Japan, Britain & US 1931-45 See: Rennie, Paul London Squares: British Propaganda Textiles of WW2 In his article Rennie emphasises that the propaganda textiles of WW2, within their British context, survive almost exclusively as silk and rayon squares although more substantial garments do exist. These were used as headscarves and neckerchiefs. ...The style was endorsed by advertisements in the fashion press and modelled by celebrities He goes onto say that these textiles are particularly interesting because of the absence of political intervention in their creation, unlike in Europe. Scarves could transform an outfit. Not only did the well off by headscarves and this particular example would have been more expensive, but for women working on machinery it was essential to cover their hair to protect it and the scarf became an essential part of their uniform. It is not suprising that the scarf should emerge as an object with symbolic, patriotic and propagandistic meanings during a time of war , but also considered glamorous and desirable.


Cataloguing

commemorative headscarf silk screen printed silk, Peace in our Time written on each side and with 1938 at each corner, the centre with the caricature heads of Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini and , within the map of Europe, surrounded by nazi jackbooted solders, aeroplanes and ships, gas masked faces, Munich Agreement all in pink, seagreen, blue, yellow on a navy blue silk twill ground, 26 in; 66 cm


Condition

Excellent.