Miniature Vietnamese Nón Lá Conical Hats (Pair)

A sweet pair of miniature Vietnamese conical hats in two sizes, handmade from layers of pale leaf stitched over fine bamboo rings and edged with red-bound rims. Inside, each hat is lined in white and painted with a bright red flower medallion at the crown. The larger hat has a yellow ribbon chin tie and the smaller one a pink ribbon. The larger one fits neatly in a cupped hand. They're lovely displayed together on a shelf, hung on a wall or added to a travel-themed collection.

The nón lá ("leaf hat") is one of Vietnam's best-known symbols, worn as lightweight protection from both sun and rain. The city of Huế is famous for a special version, the nón bài thơ or "poem hat". Artisans hide verses and pictures of local landmarks like the Perfume River between two layers of palm leaf. They're invisible in normal light, but when the hat is held up to the sun, the hidden poems shimmer through.