We have two calashes so I'm familiar with "ugly". (Most of our collection is post-1850... and strongest in the 1880-1980 timeframe… but we have a few representative pieces from earlier decades.) The brown silk bonnet is smaller, and squishable, and I'm beginning to wonder if it lost its lining somewhere along the way -- or could it be a child's bonnet? It's just so darn shapeless! We took some photos but it turned out too orange-y so I'll try again next week. Thanks, Suzanne
On Mar 23, 2012, at 1:00 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Subject: Re: [h-cost] "pumpkin" bonnet? > Date: March 22, 2012 10:25:02 PM CDT > To: Historical Costume <[email protected]> > Reply-To: Historical Costume <[email protected]> > > > At 07:29 PM 3/22/2012, you wrote: >> Hello 19th century experts! I'm trying to date a bonnet which was donated >> to the museum where I work -- but 19th century bonnets are not my area of >> expertise. The donors called this a "pumpkin" bonnet from "early 1800s" but >> I have doubts about that, and the only similar examples I found in a quick >> internet search were American Civil War era. I'm inclined to go with a >> "circa 1860" date but I'd be delighted to hear from someone who actually >> knows something! :-) >> >> The bonnet is made of brown silk, constructed in concentric rows of thick >> ruching, with tiny bows at the top center of each row, and a short bavolet. >> It's softer and more spherical in shape than this one (because the back is >> less defined and the bavolet is not as heavily gathered): >> >> http://darlinganddash.com/bonnetcardboard.html >> >> I don't yet have a picture of our bonnet -- but go ahead and make >> suggestions anyway. No matter what, I'll learn something! >> Thanks, >> Suzanne > > Your description sounds like it might be an "ugly" from the first half of the > 1800s or late 1790s. An ugly was worn to protect the relatively high coiffure > and cap when travelling; it could very well look something like a pumpkin. > It was usually constructed with caning (or wires). > > > Joan Jurancich > [email protected] _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
