Men's Hat Badges in the Late 15th and 16th Centuries

	Hat Badges
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Hat badges like these appear on portraits of men in the late 15th century and into the 16th century; this list provides links to pictures of these badges as they are displayed in museums, as well as portraits of men wearing badges on their hats. This list does not include pilgrim badges, though you can see examples of these in various places (my favorite is Kunera); the pilgrims linkspage provides illustrations of where and how the pilgrims wore their badges. See also Les enseignes de chapeau au XVIe siècle and Un bijou à fonction particulière: Enseigne de chapeau. Hat ornament in gold with enamel and jewels, Italy, 15th century Hat or dress ornament, gold with a garnet, inscribed autre ne veut, England, c. 1475 The Chiddingly Boar, late 15th century Late medieval hat badge with the Madonna and Child Plaque with St. John the Baptist and St. Mary Magdalene, and the Angel and Virgin and a vernicle, made in Milan c. 1480; it is referenced in Goldsmiths’ Work from Milan as a hat jewel Portrait of Louis XII, King of France, c. 1490 Portrait of Philip the Handsome, c. 1500 Portrait of a courtier by Jan Mostaert, c. 1500 Hat badge with a lady, made in Spain c. 1500 Cap-hook/hat-ornament with the Crucifixion, silver, made in 16th century England Cap-hook/hat-ornament in the form of a six-spoked Catherine wheel in silver-gilt, found in England, dating to the 16th century Plaquette/hat-ornament with Pyramus and Thisbe in bronze with traces of gilding and enamel Hat badge with the Crucifixion worked in relief in gold, made in 16th century Spain Hat-ornament/badge with St. Matthew writing, gilt bronze, made in northern Italy in the early 16th century Hat-ornament/badge with Apollo watching Daphne changing into a laurel, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy Hat-ornament/badge with Marcus Curtius leaping into the gulf, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy Hat-ornament/badge with Laocoon and his sons and the serpents, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy Hat-ornament/badge with a female bust (possibly Diana), gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy Hat-ornament/badge with the Fall of Phaethon, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy Hat-badge with a bust of a helmeted man in profile, bronze and lead, made in 16th century Italy Hat-badge with a bust of a bearded man, bronze, made in Germany or Italy in the 16th century Hat-ornament/badge with the Judgement of Paris, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Germany Hat badge with St. George in gold with enamel, with rubies and emeralds, made in Germany in the 16th century Hat badge with the Visitation, silver with niello, made in Flanders c. 1500-1525 Hat badge with Veronica's veil, silver with niello, made in Flanders in the early 16th century Hat badge with the head of St. John the Baptist, enamelled gold, made in France c. 1500-1525 Hat badge with St. Martin and the beggar, enamel on copper, workshop of Nardon Penicaud, first half of the 16th century Detail from an altarpiece with scenes from the stories of St. George and St. Florian by Marx Reichlich, c. 1501-1505 Detail of a medallion or hat-badge featuring Hercules on the portrait of Charles II d'Amboise by Andrea Solari, c. 1507 Portrait of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and Mary Tudor, c. 1516 Portrait of Count Sciarra Martinengo Cesaresco by Moretto da Brescia, 1516-1518 Hat badge with Saint George and the Dragon in gold and enamel, made c. 1520 and traditionally believed to have been worn by Henry VIII Portrait of Pietro Aretino (probably after a design by Sebastiano del Piombo) by Marcantonio Raimondi, c. 1517-1520 or 1524-1525 Hat badge with St. George and the dragon, Flemish (?), c. 1520 Hat ornament: Woman choosing between youth and old age, gold with enamel, made in France c. 1520 Portrait of Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, 1520 Portrait of Arthur, Prince of Wales, c. 1520 Portrait of an elderly couple by Jan Gossaert, c. 1520 Portrait of Joost van Bronckhorst by Jan Mostaert, c. 1520 Portrait of an unknown man by Jan Mostaert, c. 1520 Portrait of Jan van Wassenaer by Jan Mostaert, c. 1520-1522 François III, Dauphin of France by Jean Clouet, 1520s Hat-medallion with a young woman between an old man and a young man, c. 1520-1530 Portrait of an African man by Jan Mostaert, c. 1525-1530 16th century copy of a portrait of the Dauphin Francis, son of Francis I Portrait of François I, King of France by Joos van Cleve, c. 1532-1533 Portrait of François I, King of France by Jean Clouet, c. 1525-1530 Portrait of François I, King of France by Jean Clouet, c. 1525-1530 Portrait of an unknown man by Jan Gossaert, c. 1525-1528 Hat badge with the Fall of Man, made in England (?) c. 1525-1550 Self-portrait with a skull by Jacob Binck, c. 1525-1550; a hat-badge appears on the underside of the brim of his hat Portrait of a gentleman by Moretto da Brescia, 1526 Hat-ornament with the Judgement of Paris in gold and enamel with gemstones, made in France or Italy, c. 1526-1575 Portrait of Sir Henry Guildford by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1527 Portrait of Maximilian I by Albrecht Dürer, c. 1530 Gold hat badge with an ancient Roman warrior or emperor, made in England or Italy c. 1530-1540 Hat-ornament Christand the Woman of Samaria at the well, gold with applied enamel, England, c. 1530-1540 (compare to this slightly later hat-ornament with the same scene) Portrait of Sir Nicholas Poyntz by Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1535 Portrait of Sir Richard Southwell by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1536 Portrait of Simon George by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1536-1537 Hat jewel with the Adoration of the Magi made in France c. 1540 Hat-ornament with Christ and the Woman of Samaria at the well, gold with applied enamel, England, c. 1540 Considère un peu les boutons desmail ou ornement, se vendant trois francs la douzaine … Ils sont venus à tel méris, qu’aujourd’hui les hommes ont honte d’en porter, et disent que ce n’est que pour les bélistres, parce qu’ils sont à trop bon marché … As-tu vu les esmailleurs de Limoges? … Leur art est devenu si vil, qu’il leur est difficile de gagner leur vie au pix qu’ils donnetn leurs œuvres. Je m’assure avoir vu donner la douzaine de figures d’enseignes que l’on portait aux bonnets, lesquelles enseignes estaint si bien labourées et leurs esmaux si bien parfondus sur le cuivre, qu’il avait nulle peinture si plaisante. Bernard Palissy, 1563 Hat-ornament with a man riding on a horse, made in Germany (?) c. 1545-1555 Hat jewel in enamelled gold, made in France in the mid-16th century Cap-hook/hat-ornament with an oval glass cameo of Jupiter Ammon, mid-16th century; this item has a good description of hat-ornaments in the notes section Hat badge with the Conversion of St. Paul made in Italy or Spain in the mid-16th century (also here); includes an engraved inscription on the reverse: “Giojello che teneva al Cappello il Generalisso / D. Giovanni d'Austria, e che / pose di propria mano al / Capello di Camillo Capizucchi / come al Libro di memorie / della Casa Capizucchi / Tom. I. a C. ('Jewel that belonged in the cap of the Generalissimo, don John of Austria, and that had been set with his own hand on the cap of Camillo Capizucchi as recorded in the Book of the history of the House of Capizucchi Tome I. A C.').” Hat-ornament/badge with Minos selecting the greatest hero of Antiquity, gilt bronze, made in Germany c. 1550 Hat badge representing Prudence, made in the comesso technique, using gold, enamel, chalcedony, and glass in the form of a table-cut diamond, made in France c. 1550-1560; compare to pendant jewel Met 17.190.907 Gold oval hat-jewel with St. George and the Dragon in enamel with gemstones, France, c. 1551-1575 Limoges enamel roundels/hat-ornaments: Roundel/hat-ornament with a naked male standing, probably Tarquin, c. 1560 Hat-ornament/badge with Jacob and a kneeling man, c. 1560 Roundel/hat-ornament with a cavalry skirmish, c. 1580 Hat-ornament made in Germany, with a northern Italian onyx cameo, second half of the 16th century Portrait of Henry IV, King of France by Antonius Wierix, 1593

Hat Badges

Hat badges like these appear on portraits of men in the late 15th century and into the 16th century; this list provides links to pictures of these badges as they are displayed in museums, as well as portraits of men wearing badges on their hats.

This list does not include pilgrim badges, though you can see examples of these in various places (my favorite is Kunera); the pilgrims linkspage provides illustrations of where and how the pilgrims wore their badges.

Hat ornament in gold with enamel and jewels, Italy, 15th century
Hat or dress ornament, gold with a garnet, inscribed autre ne veut, England, c. 1475
The Chiddingly Boar, late 15th century
Late medieval hat badge with the Madonna and Child
Plaque with St. John the Baptist and St. Mary Magdalene, and the Angel and Virgin and a vernicle, made in Milan c. 1480; it is referenced in Goldsmiths’ Work from Milan as a hat jewel
Portrait of Louis XII, King of France, c. 1490
Portrait of Philip the Handsome, c. 1500
Portrait of a courtier by Jan Mostaert, c. 1500
Hat badge with a lady, made in Spain c. 1500
Cap-hook/hat-ornament with the Crucifixion, silver, made in 16th century England
Cap-hook/hat-ornament in the form of a six-spoked Catherine wheel in silver-gilt, found in England, dating to the 16th century
Plaquette/hat-ornament with Pyramus and Thisbe in bronze with traces of gilding and enamel
Hat badge with the Crucifixion worked in relief in gold, made in 16th century Spain
Hat-ornament/badge with St. Matthew writing, gilt bronze, made in northern Italy in the early 16th century
Hat-ornament/badge with Apollo watching Daphne changing into a laurel, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy
Hat-ornament/badge with Marcus Curtius leaping into the gulf, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy
Hat-ornament/badge with Laocoon and his sons and the serpents, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy
Hat-ornament/badge with a female bust (possibly Diana), gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy
Hat-ornament/badge with the Fall of Phaethon, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Italy
Hat-badge with a bust of a helmeted man in profile, bronze and lead, made in 16th century Italy
Hat-badge with a bust of a bearded man, bronze, made in Germany or Italy in the 16th century
Hat-ornament/badge with the Judgement of Paris, gilt bronze, made in 16th century Germany
Hat badge with St. George in gold with enamel, with rubies and emeralds, made in Germany in the 16th century
Hat badge with the Visitation, silver with niello, made in Flanders c. 1500-1525
Hat badge with Veronica's veil, silver with niello, made in Flanders in the early 16th century
Hat badge with the head of St. John the Baptist, enamelled gold, made in France c. 1500-1525
Hat badge with St. Martin and the beggar, enamel on copper, workshop of Nardon Penicaud, first half of the 16th century
Detail from an altarpiece with scenes from the stories of St. George and St. Florian by Marx Reichlich, c. 1501-1505
Detail of a medallion or hat-badge featuring Hercules on the portrait of Charles II d'Amboise by Andrea Solari, c. 1507
Portrait of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and Mary Tudor, c. 1516
Portrait of Count Sciarra Martinengo Cesaresco by Moretto da Brescia, 1516-1518
Hat badge with Saint George and the Dragon in gold and enamel, made c. 1520 and traditionally believed to have been worn by Henry VIII
Portrait of Pietro Aretino (probably after a design by Sebastiano del Piombo) by Marcantonio Raimondi, c. 1517-1520 or 1524-1525
Hat badge with St. George and the dragon, Flemish (?), c. 1520
Hat ornament: Woman choosing between youth and old age, gold with enamel, made in France c. 1520
Portrait of Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, 1520
Portrait of Arthur, Prince of Wales, c. 1520
Portrait of an elderly couple by Jan Gossaert, c. 1520
Portrait of Joost van Bronckhorst by Jan Mostaert, c. 1520
Portrait of an unknown man by Jan Mostaert, c. 1520
Portrait of Jan van Wassenaer by Jan Mostaert, c. 1520-1522
François III, Dauphin of France by Jean Clouet, 1520s
Hat-medallion with a young woman between an old man and a young man, c. 1520-1530
Portrait of an African man by Jan Mostaert, c. 1525-1530
16th century copy of a portrait of the Dauphin Francis, son of Francis I
Portrait of François I, King of France by Joos van Cleve, c. 1532-1533
Portrait of François I, King of France by Jean Clouet, c. 1525-1530
Portrait of François I, King of France by Jean Clouet, c. 1525-1530
Portrait of an unknown man by Jan Gossaert, c. 1525-1528
Hat badge with the Fall of Man, made in England (?) c. 1525-1550
Self-portrait with a skull by Jacob Binck, c. 1525-1550; a hat-badge appears on the underside of the brim of his hat
Portrait of a gentleman by Moretto da Brescia, 1526
Hat-ornament with the Judgement of Paris in gold and enamel with gemstones, made in France or Italy, c. 1526-1575
Portrait of Sir Henry Guildford by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1527
Portrait of Maximilian I by Albrecht Dürer, c. 1530
Gold hat badge with an ancient Roman warrior or emperor, made in England or Italy c. 1530-1540
Hat-ornament Christand the Woman of Samaria at the well, gold with applied enamel, England, c. 1530-1540 (compare to this slightly later hat-ornament with the same scene)
Portrait of Sir Nicholas Poyntz by Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1535
Portrait of Sir Richard Southwell by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1536
Portrait of Simon George by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1536-1537
Hat jewel with the Adoration of the Magi made in France c. 1540
Hat-ornament with Christ and the Woman of Samaria at the well, gold with applied enamel, England, c. 1540

Considère un peu les boutons desmail ou ornement, se vendant trois francs la douzaine … Ils sont venus à tel méris, qu’aujourd’hui les hommes ont honte d’en porter, et disent que ce n’est que pour les bélistres, parce qu’ils sont à trop bon marché … As-tu vu les esmailleurs de Limoges? … Leur art est devenu si vil, qu’il leur est difficile de gagner leur vie au pix qu’ils donnetn leurs œuvres. Je m’assure avoir vu donner la douzaine de figures d’enseignes que l’on portait aux bonnets, lesquelles enseignes estaint si bien labourées et leurs esmaux si bien parfondus sur le cuivre, qu’il avait nulle peinture si plaisante.

Bernard Palissy, 1563

Hat-ornament with a man riding on a horse, made in Germany (?) c. 1545-1555
Hat jewel in enamelled gold, made in France in the mid-16th century
Cap-hook/hat-ornament with an oval glass cameo of Jupiter Ammon, mid-16th century; this item has a good description of hat-ornaments in the notes section
Hat badge with the Conversion of St. Paul made in Italy or Spain in the mid-16th century (also here); includes an engraved inscription on the reverse: “Giojello che teneva al Cappello il Generalisso / D. Giovanni d'Austria, e che / pose di propria mano al / Capello di Camillo Capizucchi / come al Libro di memorie / della Casa Capizucchi / Tom. I. a C. ('Jewel that belonged in the cap of the Generalissimo, don John of Austria, and that had been set with his own hand on the cap of Camillo Capizucchi as recorded in the Book of the history of the House of Capizucchi Tome I. A C.').”
Hat-ornament/badge with Minos selecting the greatest hero of Antiquity, gilt bronze, made in Germany c. 1550
Hat badge representing Prudence, made in the comesso technique, using gold, enamel, chalcedony, and glass in the form of a table-cut diamond, made in France c. 1550-1560; compare to pendant jewel Met 17.190.907
Gold oval hat-jewel with St. George and the Dragon in enamel with gemstones, France, c. 1551-1575

Limoges enamel roundels/hat-ornaments:

Roundel/hat-ornament with a naked male standing, probably Tarquin, c. 1560
Hat-ornament/badge with Jacob and a kneeling man, c. 1560
Roundel/hat-ornament with a cavalry skirmish, c. 1580

Hat-ornament made in Germany, with a northern Italian onyx cameo, second half of the 16th century
Portrait of Henry IV, King of France by Antonius Wierix, 1593