Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Masonic Vice Grand Hat
ca. 1900
Maker not marked
USA (probably)
Silk, cotton, linen, paper pulp, ink
overall: 5"h x 9"w x 10"d
Museum Purchase
2016.046.1

Masonic Vice Grand Hat. EXTERIOR: Blue velvet hat (likely silk on cotton backing) has dome-like shape, with fabric gathered underneath turned-up brim. Brim shape features three points, the highest one at front, and a lower one on either side. It is decorated with machine-embroidered flowers featuring five petals of dark pink fading to light pink with maroon edging; one flower is within each point, and green leaves and vine-like swirls connect the spaces between, all the way around to the back center, at vertical seam of brim. INTERIOR: Lining of turquoise blue linen features white rectangular label at top center bearing the blue printed text, "Vice Grand". Lining fabric is pleated around central circle of flat fabric. Brim is trimmed with 1-1/2" wide brown strip of very worn artificial leather (likely paper pulp or cellulose on cotton) which is sewn along brim edge side only.