Description: Man's tall or top hat made of black beaver fur with black felt band, and "DUNLAP & Co." and initials "INE" inside at the crown, which was ordered and worn by Irving N. Esleeck, Sr. of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1857 by Robert Dumlap, Dunlap & Co. had its store on Fifth Avenue in New York City, and its hatting factory in Brooklyn.
Label Text: By the turn of the 19th century, the fashionable man’s hat became taller and more slender. These tall, or top, hats were made from dyed beaver fur, silk, or even palm leaf. Crown height and silhouette shifted throughout much of the century, as did the width of the brim. All, however, have in common an inherent, if impractical, luxury.
Subjects: Textile fabrics; Wool Link to share this object record: https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+1999.11.2 |