This is a fine GENUINE VICTORIAN top hat - probably dating to the later part of the 19th Century. It was made by the Hope Brothers - who it appears were one of the best makers of top hats. They were London-based.
This hat is a larger one - more suitable for our modern head sizes.
It measures size between 6 3/16th (at least) to 6 1/4 inches (more probably!).
The aperture from back to front is 8 inches. From side to side, it measures 6 3/8 inches.
It is pretty big - and it goes down to ear-height on my husband... and he has a generous-sized head.
It is in pretty good vintage condition. The interior is a cream-coloured silk - still nice and clean with hardly any discolouration to the material. It has a dark beige coloured sweatband - made of fine kid leather - and again pretty clean with a little marking right at the band leather where it meets the hat brim - but not disfiguring marks all over - I would say pretty clean for its age! You will not have any hygiene issues with wearing this one.
The underside of the brim is dark black with no staining and no losses to the cloth. The binding around the brim edge is again clean and dark - with no fading or losses to the fibres of the cloth etc. So all pretty much fine and dandy for a hat of this age.
Externally - looks pretty fine to me. The brim is fine no losses or marks. The black decorative band is also fine - and interesting not made of felt... but of silk ribbon with a most interesting little buckle fastening and detail - never seen that on a band before .. but it is very cute!
The crown is fine no losses to the fabric or pile - there is a tiny bit of rubbing and nearly imperceptible loss on the edge on the side furthest away from the decoration - as photographed in extreme close-up for your inspection - this is not noticeable when the hat is worn.
Now wow... let me talk about the strange added decoration to this hat. A bit of research has revealed that this is a coachman's cockade, and examples are in the collection of the National Trust. There was also a similar cockade on the top hat of the shaughraun or the "old Irish matchmaker" in the film starring John Wayne "The Quiet Man". These cockades were also used for mourning outfits by undertakers.
This rosette decoration has a lower level - and on top of this a higher level of wooden rods placed in a circle and forming a raised peak in the centre. A fan-shaped inclusion of more wooden batons issues from the top - these are all painted with original glossy back enamel paint. There is a little ribbon bow or tassel on the tip of the rosette.
The decoration is applied to the hat with a sturdy pin or threaded screw ... never seen the like. Given similar hats with the National Trust - this would imply this one is for a Victorian coach driver... very Gentleman Jack in style!
I have not attempted to remove this rosette - for fear of damaging the topper... but it is certainly something very special, indeed a museum piece - and this is reflected in my price, as you won't see another quite like it again in a hurry.
It will be sent special next day delivery in the UK. This will cost £10 and applied to your oder at the checkout.
This hat is a larger one - more suitable for our modern head sizes.
It measures size between 6 3/16th (at least) to 6 1/4 inches (more probably!).
The aperture from back to front is 8 inches. From side to side, it measures 6 3/8 inches.
It is pretty big - and it goes down to ear-height on my husband... and he has a generous-sized head.
It is in pretty good vintage condition. The interior is a cream-coloured silk - still nice and clean with hardly any discolouration to the material. It has a dark beige coloured sweatband - made of fine kid leather - and again pretty clean with a little marking right at the band leather where it meets the hat brim - but not disfiguring marks all over - I would say pretty clean for its age! You will not have any hygiene issues with wearing this one.
The underside of the brim is dark black with no staining and no losses to the cloth. The binding around the brim edge is again clean and dark - with no fading or losses to the fibres of the cloth etc. So all pretty much fine and dandy for a hat of this age.
Externally - looks pretty fine to me. The brim is fine no losses or marks. The black decorative band is also fine - and interesting not made of felt... but of silk ribbon with a most interesting little buckle fastening and detail - never seen that on a band before .. but it is very cute!
The crown is fine no losses to the fabric or pile - there is a tiny bit of rubbing and nearly imperceptible loss on the edge on the side furthest away from the decoration - as photographed in extreme close-up for your inspection - this is not noticeable when the hat is worn.
Now wow... let me talk about the strange added decoration to this hat. A bit of research has revealed that this is a coachman's cockade, and examples are in the collection of the National Trust. There was also a similar cockade on the top hat of the shaughraun or the "old Irish matchmaker" in the film starring John Wayne "The Quiet Man". These cockades were also used for mourning outfits by undertakers.
This rosette decoration has a lower level - and on top of this a higher level of wooden rods placed in a circle and forming a raised peak in the centre. A fan-shaped inclusion of more wooden batons issues from the top - these are all painted with original glossy back enamel paint. There is a little ribbon bow or tassel on the tip of the rosette.
The decoration is applied to the hat with a sturdy pin or threaded screw ... never seen the like. Given similar hats with the National Trust - this would imply this one is for a Victorian coach driver... very Gentleman Jack in style!
I have not attempted to remove this rosette - for fear of damaging the topper... but it is certainly something very special, indeed a museum piece - and this is reflected in my price, as you won't see another quite like it again in a hurry.
It will be sent special next day delivery in the UK. This will cost £10 and applied to your oder at the checkout.