Bonnet
MillinerPossibly made by
Sophia Woodhouse
American, 1799 - 1883
Date1837-1841
MediumGrass woven on a loom with a cotton warp; wired edge
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth): 12 x 10 x 13in. (30.5 x 25.4 x 33cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineMuseum purchase
DescriptionBonnet made of natural colored grass woven on a loom with a cotton warp, with tapestry inlays of greenish grass in heart-shaped motifs. The brim is 6 3/4 inches wide and only slightly upturned from the crown. A two-inch woven grass "skirt" is stitched under the crown at the back of the neck. The outside of the brim is decorated by intertwined loops of grass; the brim edge is wired to hold it in shape.
Object number1956.16.0
NotesHistorical Note: Sophia Woodhouse (1799-1883) had a workshop in her home, in which she and other Wethersfield women made bonnets that were said to rival Italian Leghorn Bonnets. Two varieties of Spear grass, called Red-top and English grass, were grown locally and processed and bleached in preparation for braiding or weaving. Woodhouse received a pattent related to this processing from the United States Government in 1821.On View
Not on view
