Museum object · Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Black cap with netted lace and silver flower brooch from Mae's Millinery Shop
1941-1994
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
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.
Black cap (a) designed by Mae Reeves made from five (5) triangular pieces of satin and lined with black grosgrain fabric. Black net with small black dots is gathered and sewn at the proper front and back centers of the cap. It is poufed over the cap and extends beyond the sides of the cap, likely fixed in place with an aerosol adhesive. Black satin ribbon is tied in a bow and sewn at the center front of the cap, then covered with a large costume brooch (b) of a flower with silver metal petals and a center of small faux diamonds. There is an interior hat band of black grosgrain ribbon. An ivory fabric designer label is adhered to the center back of the interior band that reads: "Mae Reeves / OF / PHILADELPHIA". There are two metal hair pins on the cap, one on either side of the label.
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Sources & collection details
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗
Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Catalog reference: 2013.213.4ab
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