Bonnet
PeriodCirca 1818 - 1822
Place MadePossibly New Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumStraw, wire, silk, gauze, buckram, ostrich feathers
Dimensions12 × 13 × 12 in. (30.5 × 33 × 30.5 cm)
InscribedA printed tag is tied to one of the looped ribbons with a handwritten inked inscription reading "Shrewsbury Loan Exhibition / Article No. 532 / Owner, Mrs. Amelia Vredenburgh Knight."
ClassificationsAccessories, Women's
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Amelia Vredenburgh Knight, 1940
Object number1478
DescriptionA woman's bonnet of finely braided golden yellow straw, with an exaggeratedly high crown and high "coal scuttle" style brim, often called a "leghorn bonnet." The brim is lined with lightweight white silk. Buckram stiffening is used within the bonnet's crown area. A wide black and green woven silk ribbon encircles the crown. Black and green ribbons over wire armatures form wide bow loops along the crown's front. Long chin ties of vibrant diagonally-woven black and green barred silk ribbon are sewn to the sides of the brim edge. Large, full black ostrich feather plumes are attached to the crown front and drape both left and right over the brim.Curatorial RemarksThis straw bonnet, with its distinctive high crown and wide flaring brim, dates from the early 1820s. Hats of this nature, made of delicate straw, silk, and feathers, were easily ruined by a sudden rain shower or rough handling and few survive in such excellent condition, with original ribbons and trimmings.NotesAlthough the original owner of this rare survivor is unknown, the bonnet descended within the family of Amelia Vredenburgh Knight. Amelia Knight was a descendant of Richard Hartshorne, one of Monmouth County's earliest settlers and donated numerous items, including clothing artifacts, to the Historical Association. In 1880, the bonnet was on exhibit at both a bazaar in Shrewsbury and in Red Bank, and still retains its show tag from the Shrewsbury venue.
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