1919 Chinese American Baby Bonnet
- Description (Brief)
- Mrs. Lee made this "dog head" bonnet for her only son, Peter. Chinese mothers traditionally dressed their one year old children in such bonnets to protect them from evil spirits. According to lore, if evil forces met the child they would pass by, thinking it were an animal, and of no value. Fur lines the bonnet's "dog's ears" and the padded wool of the hat lined Peter's head.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- bonnet, baby
- Object Type
- Bonnet
- Headwear
- Boy
- date made
- 1919
- maker
- Lee Ng Shee
- Physical Description
- silk (overall material)
- wool (overall material)
- fur (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 30 cm x 42 cm; 11 13/16 in x 16 17/32 in
- place made
- United States
- worn
- United States: New York, Manhattan, Chinatown
- ID Number
- 1992.0620.07
- catalog number
- 1992.0620.07
- accession number
- 1992.0620
- subject
- Chinese American
- Family & Social Life
- Immigration
- Immigrants
- Cultures & Communities
- Clothing & Accessories
- Chinese American
- See more items in
- Home and Community Life: Costume
- Chinese American
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- Credit Line
- Gift of James Edgar Mead and Virginia Lee Mead
- Publication title
- Lee Chinese -American Family Papers, ca. 1915-1970
- Publication author
- Mead, Virginia Lee
- Publication URL
- http://collections.si.edu/search/results.jsp?q=set_name:%22Lee+Chinese-American+Family+Papers%2C+ca.+1915-1970%22
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