How to make top hats?

[HappyStroller]

Is there a good book, article or post that describes in detail well enough to enable one to know how to make a proper top hat made with fur or with silk?

[jruley]

Here's a good place to buy one:

http://www.benderhats.com/

Industrial equipment is needed to make hat blanks from scratch, and "Mad Hatter" was no cliche; breathing mercury fumes does that to people...

Regards,

Jim Ruley

[rjman]

You may also need to do some diving in the waters of the Seine to fish out M. Gibus' old machines...

There's a reason why the hatters now sell "renovated" top hats -- the knowhow isn't there anymore.

[HappyStroller]

Looks like there's no need to do any diving now, RJ, because thanks to the lead kindly provided by JR, new hats are available at very reasonable prices. Buying the raw materials and experimenting with them will very likely cost more than just buying a new top hat. And being quite karmic superstitious, I rather prefer brand new stuff over worn. Once again, thanks again, JR, for your most helpful tips.

[alden]

HappyStroller

RJ is correctly referring to "silk" tophats. The ones made today are from fur felt.

The silk for tophats was formerly produced in France. But the machines and processes for making the silk has since been lost. For this reason it is not longer produced. As a consequence, vintage silk tophats fetch high prices.

Fur felt is suitable for Fedoras and the like, but not really for a tophats.

M Alden

[jruley]

I believe Mr Bender (the vendor I recommended) experimented with making silk hats but was unsuccessful. You might contact him and see what he has to say.

Fur felt is suitable for Fedoras and the like, but not really for a tophats.

It's interesting how these notions change over time. In the early 19th century beaver was considered the most desirable material for hats. In fact, the European demand for North American beaver fur nearly killed off the native beaver population. Faced with declining availability, hatters turned to less desirable furs such as rabbit. Then silk hats came along in the 1860's - 70's -- initially as a less desirable alternative to fur! It seems silk became so well established that fur is now looked down upon.

The hats Mr Bender makes are historical styles, not "modern"; but depending on your application they might be worth looking at. They are high quality, not "costume" pieces and the prices reflect that.

Thanks,

Jim R.

[Charlie Huang]

The fur used for top hats today are fur 'melusine' that have a directional nap like silk plush and not the flat fur felt of you average hat.

As to making silk toppers, you first block a piece of cheesecloth that has been coated in shellac ('coodle') and when it is more or less dried but still a bit sticky you cover the shell with pieces of silk plush which are different. The difficulty is matching the pieces together perfectly so the seams are barely visible. After the hat has fully dried, it is trimmed and finished. For hunting weight toppers, same thing but you make the shell out of many layers of goss or linen-shellac strips (only Patey's do this now).

I only know of one person (there use to be another) who has a supply of silk plush and can make a new silk topper from scratch for £590 regardless of size. All the main hatters and hat makers of the realm ran out of the silk plush ages ago.

[Charlie Huang]

Actually, I think this explains it better:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=47146