In Conversation: Murderous Millinery

At the height of the “plume boom” in the late 19th century, feathers, wings, and even entire stuffed birds were used to trim women’s hats. This mass slaughter brought many birds to the brink of extinction and sparked conservation efforts, including the creation of the Audubon Society. Join Associate Curator of Decorative Arts Dawn R. Brean and Rebecca Kelly, textile conservator at the University of Rhode Island and visiting curator at Newport Historical Society, for a lively discussion on this deadly topic.