Rare, Authentic ca 1929 Millinery Mannequin Bust Display

Available at The Gilded Griffin Shop, Now on Etsy

This exceptionally rare, beautifully hand-painted, mannequin millinery head was used for a hat shop or department store hat display sometime around the year 1929.

This mannequin head has never been on the market before.  It was originally a gift to a milliner who worked at an exclusive hat shop in a Midwestern department store near Detroit and then handed down to her friend who later became an antiques dealer. The mannequin was used in a display case for several decades when it finally returned to the owner's home, where it was acquired for my personal collection for use in an upcoming book.

The head is hand-cast in a heavy plaster/mineral composite and beautifully hand-painted with a hairstyle which was considered the chicest of the time, platinum blonde.  She has pencil thin eyebrows, spit curls, and a glowing suntan which characterized the look that represented the ideal woman of the time; dated to about 1929 through the early 1930s.

This millinery mannequin would have been used to display expensive hats such as those snug cloche styles that were coveted in Paris and New York.

The mannequin head is mounted onto a heavy, carved mahogany base which still features the screw hole where the stand was mounted when exhibited in window or countertop displays.

It measures to fit about 21.5 inches or 54.61 cm hat size and is 17.5 inches or 44.45 cm tall. For more information please go to: ca 1929 Plaster Composite Millinery Mannequin Bust

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Antique Beaded Purse ca 1900

The colors are divine! 

This large beaded purse is a beautiful version of micro-beading. It is absolutely gorgeous in color…deep rich jewel tones that are utterly eye-catching. The lacey metal frame is gold-washed. 

Weeks of hand work went into its design that is meticulously finished. There are no missing beads, and the body of the purse is intact and strong. The interior lining is missing, but this does allow one to view the incredible intricate workmanship that went into its creation. It would not be difficult to add a silk lining, and a skilled seamstress will easily do this for you. The gold wash on the frame has rubbed off on one side where the purse bounced against the original owner’s skirts. 

This was obviously used and well care for…beloved to the original owner. If only we knew who she was…. 

The purse measures about 11 inches or 28 cm in length overall, not counting the chain which adds another 7.5 inches or 19 for a total length of about 18.5 inches or 47 cm.

Cawston's Ostrich Farm of Pasadena, CA Victorian Boa Found in Original Box

Originally costly and elegant, this boa comes in its original box. It is dated through the use of historical society documentation and also through a period advertisement clipped from a 19th century fashion magazine. This is still in the original packing and was never used. It is about 120 years old.

Before Disneyland was even a glimmer in the eye, Cawston’s Ostrich Farm was the place for tourism in the Pasadena, CA region. 

A train from Los Angeles took passengers out to the farm where they picnicked and toured the 90 acres that featured ostriches, ostrich eggs, ostrich amusements and most of all, ostrich plumes. This was the first ostrich farm in the United States and it first opened for touring sometime around 1890. 

Ostriches…everywhere. Visitors could take a rides in ostrich pulled carts and guests both young and old could have their photographs taken while riding on the back of one. Ostrich eggs marveled at and passed around like toys and guests loved the attractions that happened during feeding times. 

Then, there was shopping…. Cawston’s Ostrich Farm was known for their feathers and these were added to hats, dresses and of course made into luxurious boas. The store at Cawston’s was one that wasn’t to be missed and visitors purchased ostrich plumes for themselves as well as gifts. 

A postcard from the turn of the last century features the elegant gift boutique
 at Cawston's Ostrich Farm near Pasadena, California.

Eventually, Cawston’s added a Japanese Tea House, fountains and formal gardens for fashionable strolling. The farm even had a NYC boutique store and was featured at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. 

One of the most ostentatious buildings ever designed was for Cawston’s Ostrich Farm Exhibit at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco during 1915. The architecture featured a pair of towering birds that were two stories tall and Cawston’s ostriches were allowed to roam Golden Gate Park for at least a year following the Exposition, which was essentially a World’s Fair. 

Finally, Cawston’s closed their doors forever during 1935. 

This boa dates to the earliest years at Cawston’s when the Farm was beginning to peak into fame and fortune. The boa appears to have never been used and is in near mint condition, considering age. The feathers are normal length and have not been extended, which also helps in dating the boa. The silk tassels at the end are in need of ironing/finishing…and then they will appear just like the tassels as seen illustrated in the period Cawston advertisement. 

However, best of all, there is an actual clipping from a period magazine of a Cawston’s advertisement featuring this exact boa. Unfortunately, there is no date on the clipping, but the hat in the illustration is typical of those style dating around 1895; wider brims and tall crowns were fashionable in Paris, yet without those enormous extended plumes that were later the quite the norm. The boa is still held together with the original large black safety pin, and manufactured during the same era. 

The box is in excellent condition overall and fully intact. It is cardboard with paper label. There is minor foxing, rubbing and a few minor stains to the cover. The original tissues and packing papers are also found inside. Fine, museum quality acid-free tissues will be added, upon purchase, to protect the boa as well as the box from further age-related deterioration. It measures approximately 7 inches or 17.78 cm wide and is 15.5 inches or 39.37 cm long. 

The Cawston advertisement indicates that there were many lengths available in these boas…and this one is the 27 inch or 68.58 cm length. Originally this sold for $6.50 and this would have been quite costly and elegant for this time. 

With silk roping and braided tape tassels, the overall length is about 39 inches or 99.06 cm. 

Rare 1920s Motoring or Golf Hat For Men With Original Price Tag

This style in hats for men were often worn  while driving sporty automobiles. They were also teamed with knickers and worn while golfing. Although smaller silhouettes in this style were often seen on the street, the larger and more billowy,  draped crown was considered most stylish in gentlemen’s sporting fashions at this time.

This is an exceedingly rare find…so very few men's hats such as this exist, especially in unworn condition, with the original price tag. The hat has been authenticated and confirmed to be dated to 1925.

The hat is made of finely woven wool in a color often described as "fawn" in 1920s advertisements.

It was authenticated with the help of a professional researcher at the Lawrenceville Historical Society in Pittsburgh, PA. Although little is known of the company, it was confirmed that the company was in business at this address for only about one year about 1925 according to what records were found to date.

In so many years, and after so many hats, this one is truly a rare find. The original price tag is still found on the very supple leather facing.  Without a doubt, this hat is a genuine treasure.

Rare Men’s 1920s Stockings with Original Label: CROW Brand Hosiery

These men’s stockings are the most wonderful find…they have never been used and retain the most beautiful labeling. They are dated to the mid 1920s. 

It is that glorious illustrated label that is so unique and wonderful. It is printed on a light cream colored paper in red, black and gold. The toes of the stockings are printed in gold…if you look closely, you will realize that the high sheen of the gold is actually genuine gold as this was indeed used as a pigment during this era…otherwise, imitation metallic gold would have turned much darker in color by now. 

Absolutely fabulous…these stockings will make anyone interested in 1920s fashion history smile. They are exceptional. 

The stockings appear to be perfect and will be a terrific display item for collectors and curators. They would be wonderful in a frame or on exhibition relating to 1920s menswear. The label is still intact and the stockings are just as they were originally sold during the mid-1920s. 

The socks are made of silk. There is no damage whatsoever. The label is brilliant and they are entirely in mint condition, considering age. 

Luxurious Italian Fur Felted Fedora From Hudson's of Detroit Millinery Salon

Luxurious classic style…this authentic Italian vintage hat dates to the very early 1960s based on style and label. 

It is a wonderful piece of fashion history….

This image shows Hudson's of Detroit well before 1961.
The store had phenomenal displays. See images that date through to the final demolition
of the department store by using the YouTube link provided here. 

This Italian fedora for women has the exclusive Hudson’s millinery salon label. The label also indicates that the hat was imported from Italy. At this time, Hudson’s of Detroit was considered one of the most elegant department stores in the world. The building was known as the tallest department store in the world in 1961…just about the time when this hat was first offered for sale.

If you would like to see the interior of this department store from around the time when this hat was offered for sale, please refer to this link: https://youtu.be/bOrzoXvIcd0 With lovely cello music in the background, the documentary of the store is well done.

The elegance of the Italian fur felt is unsurpassed...the quality expected from Italian milliners. The hat is soft as cashmere and velvety rich in appearance. The felt is quite thick and substantial.  This was a very expensive hat when it was originally sold.

The wide brim may be tipped to any angle. It beautifully arches around the face and was designed to enhance the eyes.

The stylish molded crown is deep enough to allow the wearer to twist up her hair inside it if she so desires. The crown has been molded over a wooden form creating a stylish line to the midnight black silhouette. This alone makes the hat all the more luxurious and chic as the Italians are known for this type of sculpted millinery design.

The sizing is for a 22 or 56 cm. The hat fits perfectly at this size and feels firmly in place when pulled over the head. The original milliner has added a small length of millinery elastic to the interior silk grosgrain facing. This gives the hat that little extra snugness so that it will not fly off in a strong wind.

This hat is will make both collectors and curators smile. It is an outstanding, historical example of a fedora styled hat from this era.