The Great Boa Tippet 1829

Since the early 19th century, a long scarf made of fur or feathers has been called a boa, in reference to the giant snake that suffocates its prey by entwining itself. Heath again plays with the double meaning of the word in this cartoon: he shows a lady wearing a real giant snake around her neck instead of a fur boa - the ultimate fashion accessory of those years. The subtitle of the print, allud…