Vera Whistler hat and hat box with lid belonging to Etta Moten Barnett
date: label: Date
content: ca.1965
name: label: Designed by
content: Vera Whistler, American
label: Manufactured by
content: Julius Lewis, American, founded 1900
label: Owned by
content: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
notes: label: Description
content: This is a Vera Whistler hat and hatbox with accompanying lid. The hat (.1) is made of a light silky fabric in a cloche style with a rolled brim. The fabric has a large paisley pattern in dark blues and greens with pink accents against a yellow background. There are pink, yellow and dark blue beads sewed at intervals around the hat. On the inside of the hat is a white Vera Whistler label sewn to the inside of the sweatband. The hatbox (.2a) is a circular cardboard box with vertical stripes along its sides in alternating shades of cream. There is handwritten text in black ink that reads “BEADED CLOCHE” along the side. It has a cream-colored cord to fasten down the lid threaded into the body of the box to create a second loop as a carrying handle. The box lid (.2b) is a shallow circle in white with a cream edge. On the top surface is pale pink cursive writing that reads “VERA / WHISTLER / ORIGINALS / JULIUS LEWIS / MEMPHIS.”
place: label: Place purchased
content: Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Actors
label: Topic
content: Broadway Theatre
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Fashion
label: Topic
content: Fashion design
label: Topic
content: Millinery
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Etta Moten Barnett Archive
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: A2022.13.1.7.1-.2ab
objectType: label: Type
content: cloches
label: Type
content: hatboxes
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Unknown – Restrictions Possible
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: .1) cloth with thread and beads
label: Medium
content: .2ab) cardboard with cord (fiber product)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (.1): 5 7/16 × 24 7/16 in. (13.8 × 62 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (.2a): 18 × 32 1/2 in. (45.7 × 82.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Diameter (.2b): 33 in. (83.8 cm)