Name/Title
Top HatEntry/Object ID
1998.116.1Description
Black top hat made of beaver fur with ribbon band and edge. The top of the hat features a covered screen to provide ventilation. The interior of the hat is lined with ivory silk and includes a wide leather band. A manufacturer’s label is present on the top-interior of the hat. The bottom rim of the hat is dark green.Context
Top hats such as this became popular around the early seventeenth century and remained popular through the end of the nineteenth century. This particular hat was created by Dunlap & Company of New York. Its founder, Robert Dunlap (1834-1900), was previously an apprentice and employee of the Knox Hat Company. Although it began as a small store at 557 Broadway in November 1857, Dunlap & Company eventually grew into a global presence, with concerns across the United States, Canada, and in major European cities. At the time of Robert's death in 1900, the factory he established in Brooklyn, New York, employed 1,000 people.
The company continued operations until 1918, when its former competitor, the Knox Hat Company, acquired it.Made/Created
Date made
1854 - 1900Notes
Dunlap & CompanyDimensions
Height
6 inWidth
9-1/4 inLength
11-1/2 inMaterial
Leather, Paper, Fur
