M.64.85.4
Woman’s Hat (Bonnet)
Probably United States, 1816-1817
Baleen, braided, with silk lace and silk satin
Costume Council Fund (M.64.85.4)
At first glance, this fashionable early nineteenth-century American bonnet appears to be made of straw or other plant fibers typical of plaited women’s hats of the era. Actually, it was constructed from strips of undyed whale baleen. Baleen (or “whalebone” as it was known at the time) was used in a wide variety of fashion accessories and products because of its durability and plasticity. This baleen bonnet, made with a broad brim and trimmed with fine silk blonde lace at the brim’s edge and a ruched silk ribbon around the crown, is one of only three known baleen-plaited hats currently in museum collections. However rare, the shape and trim of this accessory would have been worn by an upper-class woman who may have also been interested in supporting growing industries in the United States, such as whaling.
Whale baleen is composed of an animal protein, keratin, much like horn, claws, and hair. It was a staple for making corsets but was also used in the manufacture of umbrellas, hats, canes, whips, brushes, and other products throughout the century. To render the material soft and pliable, the baleen was boiled or heated using steam. Once it had been worked into the desired form and cooled, the material hardened and retained that shape. Whalebone was a desired material because it was lightweight, water resistant, and durable. Here, braids or “plaits” of baleen were stitched together to form the bonnet, then varnished and lined with fabric.
Laura Goalen-Anderson
2024