Conservation Project: Costume Accessories, Hats: Simple Board Mounts

Simple board mounts have a padded interior dome that is contoured to support the inside of the hat as it would sit on a person’s head.

A small black straw hat, American, Boston, 1940, Straw, 49.7 cm (19 9/16 in.), Gift of Mary Newbold Patterson Hale, (Mrs. Richard Walden Hale), 52.1816.

The shaped dome sits atop a column of 4-ply board, in an X pattern, that is set tightly in an X-shaped depression made in the polyethylene foam at the bottom of the tray.

A design sketch for the straw hat pictured above

A design sketch for the straw hat pictured above.

Bonnet, American, 1850s, Straw, trimmed with silk plain weave (taffeta) and silk voided-velvet ribbon; machine lace, The Elizabeth Day McCormick Collection, 43.1583.

The edges of the 4-ply board are sanded smooth, as silk ribbons tend to curve around the columns.

A design sketch for the bonnet pictured above.

When necessary, silk knit fabric is draped over the support domes.

Woman's bonnet, American, about 1830, Silk, 27.5 cm (10 13/16 in.), Gift of Miss Amelia Peabody and Mr. William S. Eaton, 46.320.

The fabric helps to release the hat when lifted off the mount, preventing the often fragile interior linings of the hat from catching on the dome support.

Woman's bonnet, American, about 1830, Silk, 27.5 cm (10 13/16 in.), Gift of Miss Amelia Peabody and Mr. William S. Eaton, 46.320.

A side view of the bonnet above.

A design sketch for the construction of simple board mounts.

Hat, French (Nice), 19th century, Straw, velvet ribbon, Gift in memory of Mrs. Horatio Appleton Lamb, 51.337.

The same type of mount can support this fragile low-profile, wide-brimmed straw hat.

Polyester batting is added in the center at the apex of the hat, and cotton knit is stretched over the entire mount.

Woman's hair ornament, American, mid 19th century, Feathers, silk chenille, wire, silk satin ribbon, 27.3 x 19.1 x 7 cm (10 3/4 x 7 1/2 x 2 3/4 in.), Gift of Emily Welles Robbins (Mrs. Harry Pelham Robbins) and the Hon. Sumner Welles, in memory of Georgiana Welles Sargent, 49.997.

This headdress is mounted on arched forms of 4-ply board, fit into slots in the Ethafoam base.

Woman's hair ornament, American, mid 19th century, Feathers, silk chenille, wire, silk satin ribbon, 27.3 x 19.1 x 7 cm (10 3/4 x 7 1/2 x 2 3/4 in.), Gift of Emily Welles Robbins (Mrs. Harry Pelham Robbins) and the Hon. Sumner Welles, in memory of Georgiana Welles Sargent, 49.997.

Tyvek is used as a slip layer to protect the feathers and silk chenille fringe.