The perpetrating "haberdasher" was John Hetherington, the hat's designer, who first adorned the style publicly in 1797. The Bollman Hat Company shaped these hats on five-piece wooden blocks which were cured in ovens. According to a contemporary newspaper account, passersby panicked at the sight and ran in terror. This hat comes in a special edition Bollman Heritage Box. Hetherington was hauled into court for wearing "a tall structure having a shining luster calculated to frighten timid people." He was fined £500. The top hat caused a riot the first time it was seen on the streets of London. By the 1880's, the top hat was worn by men of every station in life for daily and formal wear without fear of fines. Bollman's "hour glass" shapes are still hand blocked and cured in this method today.
Top Hat
1880s Bollman Heritage Collection Topper - Black/L
Specifications of 1880s Bollman Heritage Collection Topper - Black/L | |
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Category | Apparel & Accessories > Clothing Accessories > Hats |
Instock | instock |
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