Comments on: What's a "Japanese napkin," in historical context?

Question: What's a "Japanese napkin," in historical context?

zennie — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:43:46 -0800

What's a "Japanese napkin," in historical context? For that matter, what's the deal with paper napkins? After the doctor had gone Sue went into the workroom and cried a Japanese napkin to a pulp. Then she swaggered into Johnsy's room with her drawing board, whistling ragtime.
-- American writer O. Henry, "The Last Leaf" (1907)

What's a "Japanese napkin"? Is it like a square of tissue paper? Why'd O. Henry call it Japanese? If there were paper napkins (or tissues) in 1907, when did they become available as a commercial product?

By: frecklefaerie

frecklefaerie — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:14:34 -0800

Some googling turned up this link to a picture of a souvenir napkin from 1883, which would have been the type of thing O Henry might be referring to.

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:29:02 -0800

Japan paper is thin rice paper in use around the turn of the century. Perhaps it was made into napkins as well.

By: jujube

jujube — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:58:28 -0800

Don't know about Japanese napkin, but as for your paper napkin question, paper started being introduced in the US as toiletry/kitchen items around the turn of the century, with Scott Paper company making paper napkins around 1930s. See this about toilet paper, and paper towels.

By: The corpse in the library

The corpse in the library — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:41:20 -0800

(Just to save you the time: it's not in the OED as "Japanese napkin," although there is Japanese silk and Japanese paper.)

By: cabingirl

cabingirl — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:56:28 -0800

This version of the same O. Henry story seems to include a footnote that indicates that a Japanese napkin is a "paper napkin, elaborately folded."

If they are in fact made of rice paper, this site says they are much nicer than regular wood pulp paper napkins.

By: zennie

zennie — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:07:30 -0800

Hm... I had never heard of that kind of rice paper. Interesting.

Thanks everyone!