Photo -- See Caption Below


Hat Brush

This hat brush was a gift to Miss Barton.  She wore bonnets during the Civil WarHats were immensely popular during the Victorian era.  Many bonnets were made of fine materials such as silk, velvet and fur.  More creative, elaborate and even bizarre were hats made with small birds, feathers, beetles, flowers, fruit and vegetables intermingled with loops of fancy ribbon, became very popular.
Boar bristle, metal. H 4.3, L 27.5 cm

Clara Barton National Historic Site, CLBA 623