The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-07-13
ON LAUNDRY MARKS.
DIFFERENT METHODS USED 10
TRACE LINEN. -,
As in America Every Country Has
an Infinite Variety of Signs
and Distinguishing
Brands.

Strange and wonderful are the meth
DDS adopted by foreigners for identify
ing the contents of the washtub In
parts of eastern France the linen is de-
faced with the whole name and address
of the laundry stamped upon it, says the
St. Louis Globe Democrat, and an addi-
tional geometrical design to indicate the
owner. Complaint is useless, as in
France the laundries have all-powerful
unions, which dictate to the residents.
In Bavaria every patron of the wash
tub has number stamped In large
characters on his linen. This system
was devised by old established laundries
to prevent persons removing their Gus
tom to rival firms In other parts OF
Germany small cotton label is attached
by hot water proof adhesive.
In Bulgaria each laundry has a large
number of stamps engraved with de-
signs, such as triangles, crosses, etc
These signs are stamped first on each
article to be washed, and then in book
opposite the owners name.
In Russia the laundries mark linen
with threads worked in arrow shapes
BY arranging each of half dozen ar
rows horizontally, vertically, diagonal
1y, and SO on, hundreds of different COM
binations may be obtained.
Names marked on Russian linen are
never written in the Russian alphabet,
but almost Invariably in Latin charac-
tiers. This is survival of the time when
Russian dandies sent their linen for
washing to Holland.
In some Russian towns the police
periodically issue regulations for laun-
dries. In Odessa books of marks are fur
nished annually to the laundry proprie-
tors. and these marks and no others may
be used BY this system criminals and
revolutionary agitators are often traced.
Country Iaundries in Austria mark
each article in patent ink which defies
soap and water, but is removed by a
bleaching powder before the goods are
sent home. -
Austrians Of rank have their crests
and coronets worked on their undergar-
ments A case was tried in the Viennese
courts not long ago in which a swim
ding self-styled count had his linen
marked with the initials and cOronet of
the Austrian premier, Count Golou-
chowski.
In Finland the laundry mark is made
with light brown ink. leading strangers
to believe that the mark has been
scorched in with heated stamp.
In Portugal each article washed bears
three signs, the owners name his laun-
dry mark and the Iaundry's own mono
gram, which appears most prominent
ly The laundry mark is certain def
mite number of stitches which are left in
after washing. Towels are marked with
stencilled figures, often an inch long.
Servians have carried linen marks in
tc : domain of high politics. After the
murder of King Alexander the Obreno-
witch party put black crosses after their
names on their linen whereupon the ad-
herents of the new king retorted with
his majesty's cipher.
IN Egypt ali Mghammedan laundries
use a s5@ga. u.arK 70 as III gUIsn the
en- of believers" and keep it from POI
luting contact with 'infidef' garments
This mark is carefully removed before
the linen is returned