Skullcap with twig and pussy willow decoration

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A light green skullcap with twig and pussy willow decoration (a). The hat is constructed from two organic shaped pieces of buckram. The two pieces are mirrored at the center of the hat and overlap at the crown. The buckram is joined together with tacking stitches and covered in nylon net. The hat is asymmetrical, sloping downwards further at the proper right. There is a point on each side of the hat that arches towards the exterior. The exterior of the hat is adorned with small pussy willow, leaf, and twig decorations. The pussy willow buds are made of wire and paper covered in synthetic green velvet. The twigs are made of paper covered wire with green and white paint applied to the ends. All the ornamentation on the hat’s exterior is secured with hand stitches. Metal wire is included around the perimeter of the hat.

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