Please note that I used a tissue covered head block for close up photographs, so to see the shape of the cap, view the photo's without a head block.
 
References used:
Poppies Cottage Blog of November 20th, 2016 'Quilting Techniques for Clothing in the 18th Century'
Poppies Cottage Blog of May 14th, 2017 'The Language of Infant Clothes c1650-1750: Part 3'
 
I have two delightful early quilted infant caps to offer you in my Heads Up to 2020 theme! 
This is the first, in the better condition, and with the shape more like a coif than a cap, so possibly the earliest. It wouldn't surprise me if it is late 17th Century.
Please note that I used a tissue covered head block for close up photographs, so to see the shape of the cap, view the photo's without a head block.
 
References used:
Poppies Cottage Blog of November 20th, 2016 'Quilting Techniques for Clothing in the 18th Century'
Poppies Cottage Blog of May 14th, 2017 'The Language of Infant Clothes c1650-1750: Part 3'
Both of these have many references within the Blog.
 
I have two delightful early quilted infant caps to offer you in my Heads Up to 2020 theme!
This is the first, in the better condition, and with the shape more like a coif than a cap, so possibly the earliest. It wouldn't surprise me if it is late 17th Century.
The point we see at the front of this three sectioned piece immediately made me think of the large infant clothing set I examined in 2017. In Part 3 of 'The Language of Infant Clothes c 1650-1750', [see above], you will find my photo's and descriptions of the head pieces worn by infants at the time. So complex, of course it was believed that baby's head must be kept warm at all times and there were several layers. But many of the pieces had a 'point' of some descrption. Whether the biggin [cap] or forehead cloth, we see frills which form points at the centre. So, this wonderful piece seems to tally with 17th or early 18th Century infant clothes. Have a look!
Secondly, this most intricate quilting at first seems like flat quilting to the naked eye. But with a magnifier and with my zoomed camera lense, we can just see at the back of the work, the tiny ends of cords. This is important, because cord quilting was the most difficult and skilled of all the quilting techniques and went out of fashion by circa 1750 [probably because it was so intricate]. You can read all about the range of quilting techniques [and see examples] in my Blog of 2016 'Quilting Techniques for Clothing in the 18th Century' - again see above for details. Cord quilting is also called Italian quilting, so you can look both titles up.
Now we can be quite sure that this is a very early cap!
Most 18th Century caps are constructed in three sections, running from back to front, but also new to me [and I have examined many 18th Century caps] is that each section of this one is edge bound in very fine and narrow linen. Another early indicator?
The final thing to tell you about this amazingly miniature piece, is the design of the quilting. Whilst I am the worst person in the World to recognise embroidery symbolism, I feel quite sure that, in addition to flower heads, there are insects! I have tried to show this in the pictures. In the side sections they appear to be butterfly-like, but in the centre panel it looks like a ground insect of some sort. Maybe I'm wrong!
These complex designs also have borders, the centre having a large petal shape, quilted inside and out.
The size is just 6" long from the point to the opposite end. The depth of each side is 2.5".  The number of stitches per inch are impossible to count, they are so minute.
Although in superb condition for age, do check the condition report below.