Gold Embroidered Headdress | Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

Description

Origin: Russia | Nizhny Novgorod oblast
Era: 19th century (pre-1900)
Condition: very good; minor wear to embroidery threads; former museum numbers written on lining; natural aging and patina; recommended for display only
Measurements: approximately 5″ high | 6.5″ diameter across top
Additional Notes: The iconic symbol of Russian peasant finery, this embroidered silver and gold kokoshnik is a masterpiece of regional craftsmanship and remarkable piece of history. The headdress is entirely covered by gold embroidered motifs and metallic trim along the edges. While examples do surface on the market from time to time, you would be hard pressed to find another with such extensive decoration and in such exemplary condition. Such fine examples can typically only be seen in museums today as they went out of fashion in Russia early in the last century and were acquired by museums during ethnographic expeditions. This headdress was fortuitously purchased when the Brooklyn and Metropolitan Museums were merging their fashion collections and deaccessioning duplicate pieces about ten years ago. The museum’s old accession numbers are written on the interior lining as shown in the photos. In very stable and sturdy condition good enough to be worn, but undoubtedly most suitable for display. Estimated to be no less than 150 years old. Scarce and highly recommended.