Maker:

Lee Ng Shee  Search this

Physical Description:

silk (overall material)

wool (overall material)

fur (overall material)

Measurements:

overall: 17 13/16 in x 11 in x 6 1/2 in; 45.24375 cm x 27.94 cm x 16.51 cm

Object Name:

bonnet, baby

Object Type:

Bonnet

Boy

Headwear

Place made:

United States

Worn:

United States: New York, Manhattan, Chinatown

Date made:

1919

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.

Referenced:

Immigration  Search this

Immigrants  Search this

Used:

Chinese Americans  Search this

Related Publication:

Mead, Virginia Lee. Lee Chinese -American Family Papers, ca. 1915-1970

Related Web Publication:

http://collections.si.edu/search/results.jsp?q=set_name:%22Lee+Chinese-American+Family+Papers%2C+ca.+1915-1970%22

Credit Line:

Gift of James Edgar Mead and Virginia Lee Mead

ID Number:

1992.0620.07

Catalog number:

1992.0620.07

Accession number:

1992.0620

See more items in:

Home and Community Life: Costume

Family & Social Life

Cultures & Communities

Clothing & Accessories

Chinese American

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-9e01-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_1119952