A men’s hairnet or netted coif

08.11.2019 by Rotschopf in Clothing, Textile work

My original plan was to make a “normal” round-knit hairnet for a man. I had seen the hairnet exhibited in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg, which was described to be a Men’s hairnet . I made a joke about it to my colleague Karl (“Höhö, a men’s hairnet, I will make it if you wear it!”) and became dire reality when Karl agreed to let his hair grow so we can try this.

But when I researched the original more, the museum told me, that there had been a flooding of the particular tomb this hairnet was found in and that all the contents got mixed and that one could not be sure this is really a man’s, which is also written in the newest publications on the piece. But the hair was grown and it wanted to be held!!

Now I found new possibilities in my research. Different illuminations from the 14th century show a sort of coif made from netting, that can be tied under the chin.

 

As well as:

Konglike Bibliotek de Kopenhagen, Ms. 4 Bd. 1, f. 183r, 1255

St. Gallen, Kantonsbibliothek, Vadianische Sammlung, VadSlg Ms. 321, f. 52 – Acta Sancti Petri in Augia, 13.-14. Jhdt

French Bible of Charles V 1372 Illumination on parchment Rijksmuseum, The Hague

Scenes of Country Life: Falconry 1343, Al secco painting and fresco, Chambre du Cerf, Papal Palace, Avignon

Altarpiece, 1340-45, Italian, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Ambrogio Lorenzetti, 1. Hälfte 14tes Jahrhundert, Italien

Deutschland um 1350, Dresdner Sachsenspiegel

 

And Seifried Helbling wrote about fashion: “gestricket huben mit snüeren sih ich sumliche tragen” (they wear knitted coifs with ties)

I have to admit, I was treading on pretty new paths, I don’t know anybody in my social sphere that has made such a net before (I am thankfull for any hints as to who tried it before so we can exchange some experience!) and I am only sticking to the illuminations at the moment.

I made it in filet netting technique and made a frame in the form of a coif from a blue silk ribbon. The round form of my net is probably not ideal for this type of coif and does not really look like on the illuminations at the moment. I am working on more forms for the future.

 

What do you think?

 

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