A woman’s gold-embroidered headdress. [Southern Germany, Eastern Switzerland, or Austria? 19th century].
A gilt metallic half-wheel-shaped headdress, measuring approximately 290 x 190 mm., abstract design built up from hundreds of minuscule parallel gilt strips attached to wires: wide outer border with three wavy bands, the interstices filled with shorter strips arranged in circular interlaces, the central padded knob with swirling interlace design of couched metallic strips, surrounded by a dense net of tatted lamé gold thread, the knob attached to the quilted textile headpiece; several decorative moiré black silk ribbons attached on back, two ribbons with cords for tying (ribbons torn, cords defective).***
A glittering example of a traditional women’s craft, this delightful gold-lace headdress would have been part of a traditional costume in the southern German-speaking lands. Such “halo hats” were made by professional female milliners who specialized in this kind of metallic lacework. Generically called Radhaube or wheel hoods in German, they went by different names in different regions: Goldhaube (gold hood), Reginahaube, (queen’s hood), Pfauenrädle (little peacock wheel), etc. Every village had its own version; some were adorned with colorful stones or glass, and others were entirely round. That of the Lake of Constance region has received the most attention, and was designated a Unesco “intangible cultural heritage” in 2010. The seller from whom I purchased this thought it might be Alsatian.
One of the special features of these wheel hats was that they had to look the same from both sides: this one fits the bill. Its design is jazzy and I found it irresistible.
Cf. Stang & Wielands, Eines Schönen Hauptes Zier: Hauben und Hüte mit Spitzen (2007), pp. 40-41. See Wikipedia article on Radhaube; a good survey in English is on the website “National costume dolls / Dolls from around the world.” Item #4492
Price: $1,000.00