Description:
Man's tall hat, made in Paris. Owned by Milo Wells Abbott (1833-1908) of North Prescott, Massachusetts. Abbott, who was born in Pelham, Massachusetts, may have purchased the hat from a retalier in Worcester, the closest larger city to North Prescott, and where Abbott worked for a time. The hat, which survives with its original blue cardboard hat box (2018.17.2.2), illustrates the continued importance of French fashion items for both sexes established back in the 17th century. Imported fashions were accessible to even rural inhabitanst of New England. As yet unidentified, De Beriot was likely one of hundreds of hatters in Paris who exported their headwear to other countries.

Subjects:
Textile fabrics

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2018.17.2

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.