Antique French Millinery Aigrette graphic art (3)

A graphic Parisian antique gold millinery aigrette professionally framed. These wonderful works of art are made exclusively by Leah Chalfen of LAFF. Photos 1, 2 and 3 are true representation of these jet black antique feathers and frame. Photo 4 is a close-up taken with an iPhone and does not reflect true black coloring.

Artful groupings of feathers called “Aigrette” were handmade to mimic bird wings and birds themselves. Labour intensive and handmade in Paris (at the turn of the century,) these beauties were made specifically for the millinery trade.

From the 1890s through 1915, it was very fashionable to wear a bird on your hat. Every class wanted a piece of the action so these man made birds served the millinery trade for all those who couldn't afford the luxuriously high prices of entire taxidermy-ed birds.