dance clothing

Dancer's hat, on a base which is probably basketry, lined on the inside with black velvet. On the outside the hat is covered with a metal-thread fabric over which have been laid decorative panels in a variety of shapes. At the crown there is a round aperture, around which has been applied a scalloped border decorated with sequins and twisted metal-wrapped thread, much of the metal perished. The sides of the hat have applied rosettes also of sequins and metal-wrapped thread. Around the forehead the hat edge is surrounded by an applied fabric strip with small decorative roundels of sequins, each surrounding a pearl bead. The strip extends over the ears, ending with a flame-shaped flap over each ear. Below the flaps and extending to the elongated rear of the hat, which ends in an upward curving flame-shaped finial, is a band thickly covered in sequins. Two similar bands extend from the rear of the crown and join together at the rear forming the aforementioned flame-shaped finial. At the extreme end of the finial is a tinsel tassel. Similar tassels at the end of the ear flaps and around the face opening, some missing, and at tyhe end of two red cords hanging from below eachear flap and which would have secured the hat to the dancer's head.

Collection Information

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