Parasol

G. Fox & Company

1885–90 · silk, wood, metal · Costume Institute

Parasols, such as the one featured; with black satin canopies overlaid with black lace are quintessential examples of the 1880s. This particular parasol is of very high quality. The G. Fox Company patented its Paragon ribs in 1852 and the key feature of the ribs were their U-shape (rather than a tubular form) which allowed the mechanism to close much more closely to the shank, and this construction overtook all other types of mechanisms after that point. The handle on this parasol is beautifully carved with a vaguely Asian aesthetic. The swirls are reminiscent of swirling streams of Japanese art.

Artist

G. Fox & Company

Date

1885–90

Medium

silk, wood, metal

Culture

European

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Marion Grant, 1943