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Exceptional antique Chinese child’sembroidered silk hat dating to the late Qing Dynasty, probably circa 1880–1910.
The hat is beautifully constructed from blacksilk satin with a contrasting peach-salmon silk crown and extensive handembroidery in fine silk floss. Nearly every exterior surface is decorated withbirds, flowers, leaves and scrolling botanical designs.
The crown features a particularly attractivepair of embroidered birds among foliage. The back is dominated by a largepeony-like blossom worked in layers of cream, champagne and pale peach silk,while the shaped hanging neck flap is decorated with a stylized lotus-likeflower and smaller floral sprigs. Birds and flowers were widely used asauspicious imagery in traditional Chinese decorative arts and children’sclothing.
The quality of the needlework is especiallyapparent in the close photographs. Long, closely laid silk stitches changedirection to model individual petals, leaves and feathers, creating depth andretaining the characteristic sheen of old silk floss.
The hat has a fitted rounded crown, broadshaped and scalloped brim, separate hanging neck flap, decorative edging andsilk lining. It was clearly a carefully made piece of children’s dress ratherthan an ordinary utilitarian cap.
Measurements: Crown approximately 7 inchesfrom the edge of the brim to the back. Front brim approximately 3 inches high. Backflap approximately 4 inches long by 5 3/4 inches wide at the widest point.
Condition: Good antique exterior condition with notable deterioration to thesilk interior.
The exterior shows expected fading, discoloration and scattered wear. Thepeach-colored crown has mellowed with age, and there are areas of worn ormissing embroidery, loose threads, edge and seam wear, and deterioration toportions of the trim. Despite this, the extensive embroidered decorationremains remarkably intact and visually impressive.
The original silk lining is fragile andsubstantially deteriorated, with staining and spotting, holes and losses,splitting and weakened silk, loose and open seams, old stitching and repairs,and areas of exposed underlying material. The interior condition is shownclearly in the photographs.
The hat has not been restored, and the agedsilk, original construction, hand stitching and surviving old lining have beenleft intact. Please examine all photographs closely for condition.
An unusually decorative surviving example oflate-Qing children’s dress, particularly desirable for its extensive silk-flossembroidery, paired birds, large peony-like blossom, floral neck flap andbeautifully mellowed antique colors.
Awonderful display piece for a collection of Chinese textiles, Qing Dynastymaterial culture, antique embroidery, Asian costume or historic children’sclothing.
