Barbette & snood set, ruffled fillet

This barbette set is based on visual images of the mid 13 to early 14th centuries which depict a tall band with a scalloped edge is worn over a foundation cap which passes under the chin. The headdress is worn with or without the hair contained in a netted snood.

This style of headwear may be seen throughout the Maciejowski Bible (The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, Ms M. 638, c. 1245), The Serpent of Temptation', (St. John’s College, Cambridge Ms K 26 f.231 c. 1270-80), Codex Manesse (Cod. Pal. germ. 848, c. 1315) and countless other illuminations from the period.

We have interpreted the scalloped edge depicted in the illuminations as as a frill or ruffle. The early 14th C. statue of St. Anna in the Staatsmuseum in Vienna depicts the saint wearing a headress composed of narrow bands with a ruffle on each edge. While the bands worn around the head resemble lasagne in that they have ruffles on 2 edges, the fillet has a ruffle on only the upper edge and a fold on the lower, face edge; it is not too much of a leap to interpret the fillet band as one of the narrow strips folded in half. Well known and respected costume and textile historians Stella Mary Newton and Mary M. Giza discuss the phenomenon of frilled edge textiles in their article 'Frilled Edges' (Textile History, 14 (2), 141-152, 1983).

Each set is made up of 4 pieces:

  • -Barbette in a demi-coif shape, ivory linen
  • -Fillet band with ruffled edge, ivory linen
  • -2 handmade pins
  • -Faux silk snood (black)

The set is worn thusly: the hair is caught in the snood. The barbette is placed on the crown of the head over the snood, and the long straps are brought under the chin and pinned together at the crown. The fillet is pinned to the correct size circle to be worn as a 'crown' over the barbette and snood.

  • Ivory linen, faux silk and handmade brass pins
  • Fillet is 2 1/8" tall and 24 3/4" long (approx)
  • Adjustable size fits all
Historical Accuracy Rating  


$29.95

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  • Model: BSD-WHW-09
  • Shipping Weight: 0.5lbs




Current Reviews: 1

This product was added to our catalog on Friday 17 October, 2008.