Man's Uniform Chapeau Bras
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
General Alfred Howe Terry
(1827 - 1890)
HatterMade by
Warnock & Co.
(American, founded 1838)
RetailerSold by
St. Nicholas Hotel
(American)
Date1861-1865
MediumHand-stitched fur-finished silk, grosgrain ribbon, silk ribbon, gold lace, gold boullion trim and tassel, and a black ostrich feather plume
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
Object number1950.210.1
DescriptionUnited States Army officer's dress chapeau bras made of hand-stitched, fur-finished silk. The hat is lined in crimson silk satin, and this lining is stamped in gilt with the maker's label (see Marks). The hat has an embossed leather sweatband, hand-stitched to the crown of the hat. On the exterior is a 1 1/2-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon, either black and gold or black and white, that extends from the brim at an angle up to the edge of the "leaf" (the portion of the brim that has been folded up toward the crown of the hat). The purpose of the grosgrain ribbon is to reinforce each leaf where black silk ribbon ties attach to the edge of each leaf, to keep them fastened up against the crown. On the proper right side of the hat, attached to the leaf, is a piece of the same black silk grosgrain ribbon that is gathered up into a five-inch-diameter "rosette" (a circular cockade) used for decoration. Over the rosette, extending diagonally back toward the rear of the hat, is a gold lace side piece edged with alternating bands of gold boullion trim. At the bottom of the side piece, a gilt United States Army staff officer's button is attached. The side piece is attached to the hat by means of threads fastened from the button to the side of the hat and by two loops of black thread run through two holes at the middle of the cockade. At the top of the side piece is a gilt metal scroll which is embossed "E PLURIBUS UNUM". It was typical for an officer's side piece to have an eagle affixed under the scroll; this hat appears to be missing its eagle. The crest of the hat is adorned with a black ostrich plume, and a gold boullion tassel is attached at the back of the hat. There is slight evidence on the front leaf, where the fur finish is abraded away, that a front tassel was also attached, but that matching front tassel is now missing.
Status
Not on view
Object/Object