19th Century Childs Sun Bonnet Piqué Marcella Cotton Circa 1820

We are delighted to have discovered this rare pair of early 19th century infants sun bonnets (each sold individually).

Their beauty is in their simplicity, an indicator of their early date. Each is made from white cotton Piqué from three sections of fabric, just like the caps of the 1700s. This bonnet is of course longer to protect the wearer from the sun. We see a gusseted band around the centre neck area with original cotton pull cord. Each is made from a different designed cotton Piqué. This one has raised 'Birdseye' design. Also to the interior a red cross stitched owners initials SNS. This bonnet is beautifully constructed in THE neatest, tiniest stitches. Each seam neatly doubled over to finish, no loose threads here!

Pique was a textile technique featuring raised parallel cords or geometric patterns. The name piqué is derived from the French word Piquer, meaning 'quilt'; late 18th-century piqué fabrics were considered to imitate the hand-made French quilts from Marseilles (hence the other name Marcella). Piqués may be constructed in various patterns such as cord, waffle, honeycomb and Birdseye. Piqué work was introduced to England by Huguenot refugees back in the 1700s. Piqué weaving was developed in England by the Lancashire cotton industry in the late 1700s as a mechanised technique of weaving double cloth with an enclosed heavy cording weft.

Size: 10 inches long (28 cm)

Condition: Good and sound. Soft from being laundered down the centuries. One fox mark to top, one label? mark to left side that hasn't laundered out. 

A rare survivor, this type of 19th century children's clothing would have been passed down and very often worn out.

Item Id: 16328