International Red Cross "WWI Silk" Post Card.
This hand-embroidered, "WWI Silk," envelope style post card depicts the International Red Cross emblem on a white oval, flanked by the furled flags of four of the allied powers during the First World War, Imperial Russia, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom.

Although they appear at first glance to be just mounted embroidery, many actually contain an opening in which to insert a note card. These cards were very popular among allied servicemen during WWI. All were handmade, mostly by the cottage industry of French and Belgian women, who were often displaced persons working from refugee camps. They were generally embroidered on long continuous strips of silk organza, and then sent to finishers who cut them into sections, prepared them and mounted the fabric onto card stock.

Most, like this example, were never franked, but rather sent home gratis in military mail pouches. The embroidery was often patriotic, sometimes sentimental and always very colorful. Popular subjects were militaria: Badges and insignia, flags, personages, palaces and sentiments. These "WWI Silks" were so popular that it is estimated that millions were made for soldiers between 1914 and 1923.

Provenance: Acquired at an Internet auction in 1999.

ZFC Noteworthy Flag

Sources:


Propaganda Postcards of the Great War, 23 April 22012, from:
http://www.ww1-propaganda-cards.com

Gabrian SILK POSTCARDS, 23 April 2012, from: http://www.gabrian.co.uk/index_files/Page322.htm

Collins, Ian, An Illustrated History of the Embroidered Silk Postcard, Radlett, Gabrian Antiques, 2001.

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection