Most surviving handkerchiefs from the 1600s are very decorative and obviously only meant for show. This is a rare example of one meant for practical use. A linen kerchief was an essential part of the seventeenth century wardrobe. Women wore them for modesty, to fill in a low-necked bodice or waistcoat.
In the days before disposable paper tissues, a linen handkerchief was an essential accessory for men and women. This example measures approximately 69 cm x 67 cm and could have been used for either purpose.
Very few historical garments of plain linen survive. When no longer wearable, anything made of linen was sold to a rag merchant and recycled into writing paper.