Hat

Hat

Chinese opera headdress. Paper or leather base painted gold tarnished and blue cut out patterns. Back reinforced with wire. Bottom center front & center front have circular mirror insets. Proper left front has a cut out dragon colored blue & gold w/red outlining around mouth fastened to base with wire. No corresponding decorative element on right side. Around the upper edge of the headdress are mounted by wires four decorative elements a trident pattern over blue leaf forms topped by a flower element. The central decoration of this row is missing. Below this row is another row of decorative elements a central gold disc surrouned by blue aureoles and topped by a red pom pom. There are three of these elements. A fourth left center is missing. The inside of the mask is white with gold traces. A cotton cord connects the two back ends of the headdress.

1991.041