Souvenir pillows

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, many mothers and grandmothers may have a vintage souvenir pillow tucked away from a Mother’s Day long ago.  During World War II, many a service man or woman was stationed at a military base or overseas base and longed for home.  Pillows that featured a “to Mother” verse or poem, name of the town or base and maybe a picture of a tank, or military aircraft or other symbol such as a rose were purchase and sent home as gifts.  These pillows were often made of black velvet or a satin material with a corded fringe.  I often run across these pillows in cedar chests at estate sales. 

After the war, the country prospered and people loved to travel.  The pillow companies continued to produce their pillows featuring tourist towns or states for people to collect on their travels.  I have seen pillows from Niagara Falls, Washington, DC and Hawaii and Alaska.  Now these pillows had been produced starting around the late 1800’s but they became super popular in the 1940’s through the 1960’s.  They were inexpensive and easy to ship back home.

Nowadays these pillows or pillow covers are easily found at thrift shops and antiques shops and are quite inexpensive.  Most average $25 but rarer examples can bring $45-$125.  Lucky bargain hunters can find them at thrift shops for $5-$10.  Try to collect those that are in excellent condition unless you plan on repurposing them for something else.  I have a friend that makes memory bears out of keepsake materials that used to belong to loved ones or from baby clothes.  Vintage souvenir pillows might be turned in to a memory bear and take up less space and make a great display.  Happy Collecting and Happy Mother’s Day!