DONNA LOWSON
Artist Researcher.
Material remembers where the archive forgets
Recognising the Double Elastic Braid (J13 & J43)
Study Visit Reflections: Brontë Parsonage Museum
Donna Lowson, February 2026
The encounter with the Bronte hair collection begins with pattern recognition. A structure already known through the hand, met again in the archive.
The Bracelets
Figure 1: Hair Bracelet artefact, Bronte Hair collection, Bronte Parsonage Museum, Author's Photo, Donna Lowosn, 2026
Within the Brontë hair collection, two bracelets, catalogued as J13 and J43, present a braid structure that is immediately familiar.
The pattern corresponds to the Double Elastic Hair Braid, as illustrated in Self Instructor in the Art of Hair Work by Mark Campbell (1867).
Having produced this braid repeatedly in my own practice, the identification is made through touch as much as through sight.
This is not only visual recognition, but also structural recognition.
On Technique and Circulation
The presence of this braid within the Brontë collection suggests that the technique predates Campbell’s publication, or at the very least confirms its circulation prior to 1867.
Structure and Variation
The differences between the two bracelets, the subtle shifts in shape, can be understood through variations in:
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mould size and shape
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strand count
The elasticity of the braid emerges from its interlaced construction.
It is this structural logic that allows the form to stretch, making it particularly suited to the wrist.
Practice-Based Reference
Figure 2: Contemporary re-enactment, Donna Lowosn, 2025
For comparison, I include a bracelet produced within my own practice using this configuration.
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32 strands
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Each strand contains 20 hairs
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Two knitting needles are used as moulds to create an oblong profile
Process images taken from above and beneath the braiding table reveal the construction logic that generates the braid’s inherent elasticity.
Ongoing Observation
Research into the Brontë hairwork collection continues. There are other recognisable patterns that appear within the collection. However, further verification is required through making to ensure that any research I put forward to the museum is correct. Stay tuned for further updates and resarch findings