Cap

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Not unlike the stylish bicycle helmets worn by today's children, this is a beautifully made example of protective headwear worn by children in the early 19th century. Known as bumpers or pudding caps (for their resemblance to the shape of pudding or pudding bowls) these padded helmets were commonly worn by small children learning to walk to protect their heads from any falls. A linen or muslin cap was worn underneath. The quality of materials and craftsmanship used in this particular example suggests that this cap was owned by an affluent family.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art