Material:
Primary: Silk Satin or Silk Velvet (highly reflective, shiny surface) with a lighly embroidered pattern
Color/Pattern: Solid Burgundy/Dark Brown
Style: Winter Bonnet (Caul style). Constructed with a soft crown (caul) designed to fit snugly around the head. The front edge features a narrow border or trim.
Description:
A brimless, heavily quilted winter bonnet shaped in a deep, rounded caul. The exterior is constructed of a copper-brown silk or satin that has been stitched into wide padded channels running horizontally around the form. Each channel is filled with batting, creating a thick, insulated structure designed for cold-weather wear. The quilting stitches and puckered areas of fabric reveal hand-worked construction typical of mid-19th-century utilitarian women’s winter accessories.
The bonnet features no projecting brim or hood-like front. Instead, it fits close to the head, accommodating the fuller hairstyles of the 1860s–1870s. The lower back extends into a soft skirt or neck-curtain to protect the nape from wind. No ribbons or ties remain, suggesting either loss over time or the original simplicity of the design. The bonnet was likely worn for everyday outdoor use, possibly beneath a shawl, mantle, or cloak.
NOTES: Brimless quilted bonnets of this type were common from approximately 1860–1875. They were valued for warmth and often worn during travel or daily winter tasks. Their compact shape, lack of elaborate trim, and deeply padded channels distinguish them from earlier, brimmed bonnets and from hooded “opera hoods” of the same period.
Remarks / Style Notes:
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The bonnet’s padded, quilted appearance resembles winter bonnets illustrated in 1868–1875 fashion plates and extant examples in museum collections.
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The lack of brim and emphasis on the rear silhouette is consistent with hairstyles of the era, which favored hair arranged low at the back of the head.
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The gathered tube construction is characteristic of winter accessories meant to retain warmth while maintaining fashionable volume.