Bonnet, traditional German folk hat of metal lace, 19th century, interior view

19th century. Traditional bonnet known as a Goldhaube or “gold cap,” common to Osnabrück, Westphalia in Germany, assembled from bands of lace made of gold-toned metal strips and mounted on linen. One short and one long band of metal lace 7.6 cm / 3 in. wide are sewn together edge to edge with the shorter band centered on the long band and laid smoothly back to form the crown. The longer band is crimped into ruffles that flare gently outward to form the brim and extends to wrap around the bottom edge of the crown to meet at the center back. The brim is further framed with linen lace, supported with linen-wrapped wire shaped into loops. The back of the crown is laid with thin strips of flat foil and embellished with padded embroidery using metallic thread over paper, sequins, and either garnets or glass. Broad purple and green silk brocade ribbons woven with silver form many-lobed bows at the nape. Hand-sewn.

The Irma G. Bowen Historic Clothing Collection digital catalog was produced by the UNH Library Digital Collection Initiative, supported in part by a grant from the Mooseplate program and New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Additional funding provided by the E. Ruth Buxton Stephenson Memorial Fund.

Photography copyright, Astrida Schaeffer.