Knitted cap, turban, 20th c.

Knitted cap, beginning of 20th century, southern Italy. Private property (MS Inventory 67)

 

Detail of the knitting

Knitted cap, beginning of 20th century, southern Italy. Private property (MS Inventory 67).

Cap in the shape of a turban, crossed over at the front, sea silk, very coarse plain right knit, weight 83 g.

This object belonged to a Croatian collector of curiosities at the beginning of the 20th century. It came up for auction on November 13th, 2019, at the August auctions house in New York and was purchased by unknown persons.

Auction catalogue: “RARE BYSSUS ‘SEA SILK’ HAT, ITALY, 1920-1930s, lot 200, Knit turban-style hat of byssus fiber in a lustrous golden chestnut colour, unworn, pristine condition. Fiber identified as Byssus by URI Textile Laboratory.”