This straw bonnet follows the taller silhouette of the mid to late 1880's. It features black chantilly lace, black silk ribbon and floral trim of various materials.
The front 2/3 of the bonnet crown is level and springs up only in the last 4 rows of plait. The shape forms cove on which the flowers and trim rest. You can see an early honey bee who found the flowers on this bonnet very interesting indeed.
The flowers appear to be cotton, lightly sized. The leaves are heavily sized and painted, as are the stamens. The center flower is formed of coiled brass wire. The copper-colored tendrils are metalic and mixed with some of the same in a silver color. Black lace and a fine-grain silk moire' ribbon surround the flower ornament.
This shows the horseshoe shape of the tip, similar to the bebe' bonnets popular in the 70's and 80's. Each row of plait is cut and layed on rather than coiled as in round bonnets. The curtain consists of gathered silk faille ribbon with an edging of black chantilly lace laid on flat. This lace is of a finer nature than that used on the crown.
It's hard to see here but the plait is sewn together using long stitches on the interior. They're 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch long. The outer perimeter of the bonnet is edged with a different, more tightly worked plait. This likely was used to protect the decorative pointed edges of the bonnet plait from damage. The brim is lined with cotton velvet, all the way around to the neck edge. The ever-present head liner in open-weave cotton is gathered at the inner edge using a small stitch.
Close up of the cotton velvet lining, head liner and silk faille ribbon curtain.
