Designed by
Whistler, Vera, American
Manufactured by
Julius Lewis, American, founded 1900
Owned by
Barnett, Etta Moten, American, 1901 - 2004
Date
ca. 1970
Medium
1a: cloth with feather
1b: metal with beads
2ab: cardboard and cord (fiber product)
Dimensions
H x W x D (.1a): 5 11/16 × 7 7/8 × 9 1/4 in. (14.5 × 20 × 23.5 cm)
L x W (.1b): 3 15/16 × 3/8 in. (10 × 1 cm)
H x W x D (.2ab): 7 1/16 × 13 × 13 in. (18 × 33 × 33 cm)
Description
This is a chartreuse cloche-style hat (.1a) with a hat pin (.1b) inside a Vera Whistler hat box (.2a) with lid (.2b). The hat (.1a) is constructed out of velvet material and has one side of the brim flipped up and the opposite side flipped down. The hat has a long narrow feather wrapped around the base of the crown. The feather is brown with a single line of large round white spots. The interior of the hat is lined in black silky fabric with a black grosgrain ribbon sweatband. Sewn to the back of the hatband is a fabric tag with red text that reads “VERA WHISTLER / ORIGINALS.” The hat pin (.1b) is stuck into the fabric at the front of the hat. The finial of the pin has a faceted gold-colored bead, followed by a narrow circular bead with clear glass rhinestones. The third bead is a solid sphere in a gold color. The hatbox (.2a) is a circular cardboard box with faint vertical stripes in pale pink and beige. Is has a pink cord to fasten down the lid threaded into the body of the box to create a second loop as a carrying handle. Handwritten on the side of the box in blue ink is text that reads “CHARTRUESE PANNE FEDORA.” The lid (.2b) is plain off-white background with pink text in the center that reads “VERA / WHISTLER / ORIGINALS / JULIUS LEWIS / MEMPHIS.” The rim of the lid is partially torn off the top of the lid.
Place purchased
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, North and Central America
Place used
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
Etta Moten Barnett Archive
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Type
cloches
hatboxes
Topic
Activism
Actors
Broadway Theatre
Clothing and dress
Fashion
Millinery
Singers (Musicians)
Women
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
A2022.13.1.27.1ab-.2ab
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown – Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5361e53a6-a66c-4f65-8374-c9c664e50c6f

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

Share this page