DepartmentTextiles-Asia

Unmarried Man's basket hat (soklong)

NameHat

Artist Artist not recorded

CultureGaddang

DateEarly 20th century

(not assigned)Northern Luzon island, Philippines, Southeast Asia, ASIA

MediumRattan, clam shell, glass beads, human hair

Dimensions9 3/4 × 5 × 4 1/2 in. (24.765 × 12.7 × 11.43 cm)

Credit LineGift of Earl & Shari Kessler

Object numberA.2024.11.2

Collections

New Acquisitions: The Gift of Folk Art

Provenancepurchased from dealers, public markets, and artists while living in Asia primarily in the 1990s

DescriptionWoven rattan hat with flat top. Along rim, twisted stings of beads of yellows, whites, red, and blacks. Across the top of the hat, twisted strings of beads cross from one side to the other and larger beads are located in the center. On each side, there are large clam shells and fringed beads.

Fig. 2.45, pg. 59
The Art and Tradition of Beadwork, Becoming an Adult section

“Bachelors wear this heavily decorated basket on the back of their head. The fine cord worn under the front bangs holds the small basket in place. When the bachelor marries, he replaces this highly decorated example for a simple undecorated basket.”