Gropius House

Collect: Aigrette

Aigrette
Possibly Shreve, Crump & Low, retailer (1796-present)
Boston, 1875-1900
Modern peacock feathers, paste, gold-plated metal
Gift of the Stephen Phillips Memorial Charitable Trust for Historic Preservation

Aigrettes, hair ornaments named after the egret feathers appended to them, were popular in the 1880s and 1890s for evening wear and formal parties. A member of the Phillips family wore this aigrette by inserting the long pins into her upswept hair.