Cream silk parasol owned by members of the Ellis family
date: label: Date
content: late 19th-early 20th century
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
notes: label: Description
content: Cream silk parasol with a decorative ivory handle. The handle contains a monogrammed "WW" towards the bottom with a cluster of rosettes directly above it. The cylindrical ivory shaft consists of four pieces. The main handle, which is carved at the base, screws into a small piece that is hinged to a longer piece that extends up to just above the top spring, where a cylindrical brass 1 ¾” runner slides down over the hinge and locks into an open position. There is another hinge that connects to the fourth uppermost piece of the shaft that extends to the inside cap. When the small parasol runner is locked in place it covers the hinge, locking it in an extended position. Above the top cap is a decorative ivory finial that screws onto the end of the shaft and holds the structure of the parasol onto the shaft. The parasol consists of eight (8) black painted wood ribs with ivory tips that are pushed open by white painted metal stretchers that connect to the ribs with a brass joint. The ribs are attached at the top to the inside cap with brass hinges. The parasol is covered with eight (8) cream silk satin outer panels and eight (8) cream silk satin panels. Both sets of panels have been cut along the lower edge into a scalloped pattern. There is decorative carving on the base of the smooth polished ivory handle, on the first (screwed) joint, and on the ivory finial.
place: label: Place used
content: Orange County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Black interiors
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Domestic life
label: Topic
content: Families
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Clara Ellis Payne
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2012.42.5
objectType: label: Type
content: parasols
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ivory, silk satin, wood, and brass
label: Dimensions
content: H: 24 1/4 in. (61.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Diameter (Open): 19 in. (48.3 cm)