A lucrative business, this.

[Marc Chevalier]

.

Top hat restoration, that is. Perhaps a few of us should get into this line of business? Take a look at the auction below. The seller has recently gotten some hefty cash for his restored top hats (size 7 1/8 and up):

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...nlyme03&include=0&rows=200&sort=2&completed=1

.

 

[Lauren]

How would you restore a top hat? I sewed the top back on one Daniel found at a thrift store once, but I did a pretty shoddy job.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Alot of the old machinery for top hat making was tossed and lost forever when they went out of style... once the standard, replaced by the bowler and the fedora and the homburg.

Some top hats are made of felt, and some have shell structure which silk fibers are sheeted on and wrapped around. The since the fibers are left long, they can be brushed in a direction around the hat creating a very shiny surface.

Some top hats are felt hats just like the fedora or bowler, they cary a flat looking surface... usually grey...

lucrative yes... as they are still needed for some functions and it is very hard to find a top hat repairer nowadays.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

See what I mean?


This vintage, restored top hat went for nearly $1,500.


http://cgi.ebay.com/TOP-HAT-SILK-7-1-4_W0QQitemZ7416888069QQcategoryZ12QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Makes our own hat purchases look like pocket change, doesn't it?

.

 

[budward]

Wow. Does anyone in the know have an idea as to the date of this hat?

http://cgi.ebay.com/TOP-HAT-SILK-7-1-4_W0QQitemZ7416888069QQcategoryZ12QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I'd say anywhere between 1890 and 1910.

.