Finland. A 1940 Helsinki Olympic Games Handkerchief

Constructed of light white rayon, one side bearing dual Finnish flags with Olympic rings and a depiction of the Helsinki Stadium, circumscribed by a double Finnish and Swedish inscription of “OLYMPIC GAMES HELSINKI 1940”), unmarked, measuring 240 mm (w) x 240 mm (l), with some soiling evident, in near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Following Japan’s forfeiture of the 1940 Olympic Games, hosting privileges were transferred to Helsinki as the runner-up in the original bidding process. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the games were once again cancelled, and did not resume until the London Olympics of 1948.