Biretta

In the pictureAgainst a beige background, a red silk hat sits at an angle on a clear stand. Semicircular blades rise from the square base; from this angle, two rounded blades at the sides and one blade standing upright in the middle can be seen. At the top there is only a small loop, with no tassel or other ornament. Fine grain on the silk surface and fold lines at the corners are visible, and a small label shows through beneath the stand. Unlike the rounded pileus, it is a boxlike shape with angular faces and corners. A vertical seam runs at each of the four corners of the base.

BackgroundThe biretta is an angular hat worn by clergy at Mass and in processions: black for priests, purple for bishops, and red for cardinals. It usually has three raised blades, though in some regions it has four, and it is sometimes worn over a small round cap (the zucchetto). The collection record names no wearer; within a group given by Agnes Clarke in 1941, it received the number C.I.41.124.9, right after the red pileus (C.I.41.124.8). All that can be confirmed is that the two were given together by the same person. The date is given only as the 18th century.

Puzzle tipIt is a single red hat with a lot of background, so 24 pieces suits it. The rounded upper edges of the three blades and the angular lower edge of the base are the surest boundaries. Place the upright middle blade first and attach the side blades, then tell the front face of the square base from the side face by the fold lines at the corners. The small loop at the top is the point where the three blades meet. Place the white pieces of the clear stand below, then fill in the background. The background pieces along the edges are slightly lighter at the top than at the bottom.