Marriage

When she made this example of fine Italian needlework as part of a dowry for her daughter, Maria del Frata linked an established marriage tradition with her ethnic identity. She wove the towel from heavy white linen, crocheted daisy-patterned rows at each end, and embroidered the floral monogram with satin stitch at the center. The donor brought the towel to Wisconsin from Sagromagno, Italy in the early 1900s.

This silver-washed brass crown includes pierced, hammered, and engraved decorative elements. Brass globes dangle from crown points and hammered silver and brass diamonds hang from the frame. Decorative cloth streamers drape from the base of the crown. The accompanying cape is made from homespun wool with extensive applied decorations of silver and gold wire, glass beads, and silver filigree. It is likely that families modified the cape over many generations by applying readily available decorative materials.

Norwegians began to use bridal crowns in the mid-sixteenth century. Usually made from silver or brass, crowns often were owned by a parish church or wealthy family. The bride’s family could rent a crown to accompany the rest of the bridal costume, which usually was made by the family. Some Norwegian families made their own crowns of lesser materials. This crown likely comes from Os, Osterdalen, Norway. It is not known who owned it in Norway or whether it was used in Wisconsin.