An early 20th century Chinese boy's tiger hat

Code: 261005

An early 20th century Chinese boy's hat in the form of a tiger to represent protection, worked with embroidery and appliqués. 

This more mouse-like tiger has an orange animal body embroidered throughout in black thread  with  eyes (to ward off the evil eye)  and whorls. The tiger has appliquéd eyes and mouth with some padded elements. The orange body is set on a black background with a hanging black panel at rear. With cream insert.  The black and cream sections have appliqués and embroidery of flora and fauna.

Size 14 cm across eyes; back seam (from between ears) c.30cm

Condition: some surface marks and fading to the silk and some losses to threads and applied elements. Please see photographs.

From the Dr Jocelyn Chatterton collection