AT & SF Pullman Hand Towel
AT & SF Pullman Hand Towel
Passengers aboard the Super Chief could reserve a larger Pullman berth for their train journey. Described as "the finest accommodation on rails," these top of the line berths provided the following amenities:
- beds
- lounge sofa
- 2 lounge chairs
- radio and recorded programs "as you wish"
- luggage storage area
- wash stand
- mirrored cabinet
- private toilet facilities
Vintage railroad postcards show a woman standing at a wash stand in such a berth holding a towel identical to the one we offer here, crisply ironed and folded as we have done to this one.
The Super Chief was in service from 1937 to 1957.
The length of the towel is 15 1/4". The unfolded width is 11 1/2".
The crosswise hems are industrially stitched by machine. The lengthwise edges are selvedges.
There are two punctures in the upper left hand area of the towel, each one roughly 1/16" in size. There is a manufacturing flaw in the upper right hand area of the towel where a thick thread was not integrated properly into the fabric. Both characteristics are visible in our photographs for your further inspection.
Enormously popular during the 1940s, the song "The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe," was written in 1944 for the 1946 film, "The Harvey Girls." Lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Harry Warren won this song an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Many musicians and popular singers did versions of this song in the 1940s, most notably: Johnny Mercer & The Pied Pipers, Judy Garland, Tommy Dorsey, Rosemary Clooney, and Bing Crosby.
Enjoy this version, sung by Johnny Mercer & the Pied Pipers!
We bet you'll be tapping your toes and maybe even swing dancing by the time it's done...