I adore this delicate hat and booties pin even though I do not know much about it. I did extensive online research, with very little luck. It appears to be very old (pre-1940s) and possibly Native American, Mexican, or Asian. The hat is made of a natural creme colored textured plastic (most likely celluloid) that is very thin and brittle (I am actually surprised it never got damaged over the years). The brim features two flowers done in pink, red, white, and green, that are attached with thread of the same color. The brim of the hat is handstitched with red thread, and the top of the hat and booties are done with white thread. The pin clasp is just a simple small safety pin that is connected to the back of the hat through a plastic loop, and the booties dangle from a plastic ribbon that is handsewn to the back of the hat with white thread.
This pin appears to made of celluloid, an early plastic developed in 1860 that was often used in making jewelry from 1890 throught 1930. Early celluloid can be extremely flammable, and like this piece, tends to be thin, brittle, and lightweight. Occupied Japan produced many celluloid designs during World War II.
Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing this piece. Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated. My online shop on http://www.rubylane.com/ is coming soon.
Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:
Antique Vintage Costume Jewelry. Retrieved 4/18/2011 from http://www.antique-vintage-costume-jewelry.com/Jewelry_Information/bakelite_plastic.htm
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