Wet Plate Wednesday: That Curtain

This mid-1850s ambrotype is filled will details.  From her lace mantel to her white work collar, a lot of hard work and skill went into her ensemble.  Most of these items were probably purchased rather than homemade.  Popular from late 1856 through 1858, this style of bonnet creates a tiny halo around the face with its full cap of netting.  One noticeable detail from the photograph is the curtain.  Fabric doesn't lay like that by itself without support. Many extant bonnets have a wire at the bottom of the bavolet.  The wire allows the bavolet to flare and stand out from the bonnet rather than lay limp.   One more simple detail that we should be adding to our reproductions to more closely create the look of the fashion plates and photographs of the mid-19th century.