Toppers Unite

[steur]

Even though I knew this one was far too small for me, I just had to have it in the collection for several reasons: it's a well made top hat in very good condition, more than likely English made, moleskin, ca.1920s, maybe even pre or ca. WWI, broad brown leather sweat, so an every day top hat as opposed to a special occassion topper, and the final icing on the cake, for me at least, it was sold in the town where I now live in Denmark.
I'll vist the local museum to see if they have more information about Hr. Lorentzen who took over the business from Hr. Perrot.

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14 cm crown. 4.5cm brim to the curl. Really nice brim curve. So wish it was my size. Still, it's a keeper.

Very cool addition to the collection, Steve. How nice is that! Always hard to tell the age of these toppers: the style didn't change much after WWI I think.

 

[Steve1857]

Very cool addition to the collection, Steve. How nice is that! Always hard to tell the age of these toppers: the style didn't change much after WWI I think.

I agree, Stefan. The style of a topper is hard to change. The clues in this one, for me at least, are the brown leather sweatband and the names on the liner.
After WWI, the top hat really became a "toff's" hat. A hat to be worn on special occassions. Hence the white leather sweat. These were seen before WWI of course, but, again, to be worn on special occassions. The brown leather sweat suggests this one was to be worn more daily, so probably not after WWI.

The names on this topper, or rather the Danish word "ved", which means H.G. Lorentzen took over the establishment from Harald Perrot, is not something you see after the 1930s at best.

I'm going to try some sleuthing myself to find out more about these two gentlemen and when Lorentzen took over Perrot's business.

I'll keep the thread posted if I find something more.

 

[glxie63]

Bought a top hat on a whim. Local purchase and came with an interesting provenance. Owner was Charles W. McCutchen of Plainfield, NJ who became rich as a flour merchant and then partly financed the Harrington Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Harrington is the oldest continually operating family owned and operated hotel in the District. All that I copped from the internet. Great shipping label from the Hotel Belmont in NYC (out of business by 1930) on the bottom of the beautiful Crouch & Fitzgerald leather carrying case. Incredibly, it easily fits my 7 1/4 head and look at the inside, amazingly clean. I'm not worthy and will probably wear it in a very garish fashion in the end. If anyone can school me on the materials, etc., I would be appreciative.

 

[Rmccamey]

Most excellent!

Bought a top hat on a whim. Local purchase and came with an interesting provenance. Owner was Charles W. McCutchen of Plainfield, NJ who became rich as a flour merchant and then partly financed the Harrington Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Harrington is the oldest continually operating family owned and operated hotel in the District. All that I copped from the internet. Great shipping label from the Hotel Belmont in NYC (out of business by 1930) View attachment 384363 View attachment 384364 View attachment 384365 View attachment 384366 View attachment 384367 View attachment 384368 on the bottom of the beautiful Crouch & Fitzgerald leather carrying case. Incredibly, it easily fits my 7 1/4 head and look at the inside, amazingly clean. I'm not worthy and will probably wear it in a very garish fashion in the end. If anyone can school me on the materials, etc., I would be appreciative.

 

[steur]

Bought a top hat on a whim. Local purchase and came with an interesting provenance. Owner was Charles W. McCutchen of Plainfield, NJ who became rich as a flour merchant and then partly financed the Harrington Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Harrington is the oldest continually operating family owned and operated hotel in the District. All that I copped from the internet. Great shipping label from the Hotel Belmont in NYC (out of business by 1930) View attachment 384363 View attachment 384364 View attachment 384365 View attachment 384366 View attachment 384367 View attachment 384368 on the bottom of the beautiful Crouch & Fitzgerald leather carrying case. Incredibly, it easily fits my 7 1/4 head and look at the inside, amazingly clean. I'm not worthy and will probably wear it in a very garish fashion in the end. If anyone can school me on the materials, etc., I would be appreciative.

Fantastic find and wonderful provenance. The earlier toppers were made of beaver, but this one is most likely made of silk plush. Not entirely of course: the base of the hat was made with muslin and stiffened with shellac. After that the hat was covered in the silk plush. The modern hats aren't made like that anymore as silk plush is no longer produced. If you read through this thread you can find more information and some cool youtube clips to see them get made.

 

[Steve1857]

Bought a top hat on a whim. Local purchase and came with an interesting provenance. Owner was Charles W. McCutchen of Plainfield, NJ who became rich as a flour merchant and then partly financed the Harrington Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Harrington is the oldest continually operating family owned and operated hotel in the District. All that I copped from the internet. Great shipping label from the Hotel Belmont in NYC (out of business by 1930) View attachment 384363 View attachment 384364 View attachment 384365 View attachment 384366 View attachment 384367 View attachment 384368 on the bottom of the beautiful Crouch & Fitzgerald leather carrying case. Incredibly, it easily fits my 7 1/4 head and look at the inside, amazingly clean. I'm not worthy and will probably wear it in a very garish fashion in the end. If anyone can school me on the materials, etc., I would be appreciative.

A truly excellent find and wonderful piece of American history. Congrats!

 

[Faux Brummell]

I recently debuted this vintage topper that I acquired early last year. This article that I found about the company is from 1920 so perhaps the hat is 100 years old…?

 

[Steve1857]

I recently debuted this vintage topper that I acquired early last year. This article that I found about the company is from 1920 so perhaps the hat is 100 years old…?

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The perfect debut for a wonderful topper. Congrats.
It certainly could well be 100 year's old or there abouts. Can you post a clearer photo of the liner logo. Plus, are there any labels or markings under the sweatband?

 

[Faux Brummell]

Thanks, here’s the logo. Nothing under the sweatband that I can see.

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks, here’s the logo. Nothing under the sweatband that I can see.
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The wonderful art nouveau style label suggests pre 1920s, but liner logos were often used long after they were first designed. However, just about everything about your top hat suggests it's definitely more antique than vintage.

 

[Faux Brummell]

Thanks so much for the info.

The wonderful art nouveau style label suggests pre 1920s, but liner logos were often used long after they were first designed. However, just about everything about your top hat suggests it's definitely more antique than vintage.

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks so much for the info.

You're welcome Faux. Be interesting to find out more info about Long's. Obviously a Manhatten store on 12th Avenue. But were they hats only, or gentleman's apparel? Were they're hats made in-house or outsourced? I'm guessing the latter. If so, where from? How long were they in existence? Etc.

 

[Steve1857]

Bought a top hat on a whim. Local purchase and came with an interesting provenance. Owner was Charles W. McCutchen of Plainfield, NJ who became rich as a flour merchant and then partly financed the Harrington Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Harrington is the oldest continually operating family owned and operated hotel in the District. All that I copped from the internet. Great shipping label from the Hotel Belmont in NYC (out of business by 1930) View attachment 384363 View attachment 384364 View attachment 384365 View attachment 384366 View attachment 384367 View attachment 384368 on the bottom of the beautiful Crouch & Fitzgerald leather carrying case. Incredibly, it easily fits my 7 1/4 head and look at the inside, amazingly clean. I'm not worthy and will probably wear it in a very garish fashion in the end. If anyone can school me on the materials, etc., I would be appreciative.

Can you please post photos of the case?

 

[Rmccamey]

Very smart, ths two of you!

I recently debuted this vintage topper that I acquired early last year. This article that I found about the company is from 1920 so perhaps the hat is 100 years old…?

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[deadlyhandsome]

I forgot to add this hat to this thread in October when I received this hat. I’d love to hear anyone’s guess on the age of this hat.

 

[steur]

I forgot to add this hat to this thread in October when I received this hat. I’d love to hear anyone’s guess on the age of this hat.

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Won't hazard a guess on its age, Brent, but that's a great find. In excellent condition and in that size: gold!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Won't hazard a guess on its age, Brent, but that's a great find. In excellent condition and in that size: gold!

Thanks, Stefan. It was a lucky, and expensive, find.

 

[Steve1857]

I forgot to add this hat to this thread in October when I received this hat. I’d love to hear anyone’s guess on the age of this hat.

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Super find, Brent. I'm no expert in Stetson labels, so hopefully, those who are will chip in. However, my best bet would be somewhere between the two world wars. Probably closer to the first than the second.

 

[Rmccamey]

I'm not much into Toppers but one like that could change my mind!!! With the excellent box, that looks NOS.

I agree with Stefan, probably 20s-30s. Alan can probably give a more definitive answer based on the block and reorder tags.

I forgot to add this hat to this thread in October when I received this hat. I’d love to hear anyone’s guess on the age of this hat.

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[Carl Thomas Trotter]

Ever since watching the 1935 Movie Top Hat and getting Astaire-Addicted in 2017, I've wanted a Silk Plush Top Hat. The only issue is I have a 59cm head size and they're not exactly usually that cheap... so after years of saving up, looking for deals and buying and selling smaller hats, here we go:

The hat is from Lincoln Bennett, London from the 1910s and has a reasonable bell curve to it.

My only issue is that when I polish it, the silk naturally temporarily stiffens and so you can see the stiff strands when you look closely. Does anyone know how to more safely polish the hat as I don't want to damage this hat over time.