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I searched the forums and found nothing on what are good men's top hats and who makes a nice one. Also what is you thoughts on originals being used? Do what you see allot as in the way of an original not the correct period or is there not allot of difference in them. Please point me in the right direction.
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Thomas J. Alleman
"If the choice be mine, I chose to march." LOR -
Re: Top Hats
Thomas-
Tim Bender makes excellent, correct period headgear.
Contact him and tell him what you want. If you have
any visual reference to the style of top hat you want Tim will work
with you on a custom job. He also has a couple of styles available on his website.
Tim does quality work, is great to work with and delivers on time.
Tim's contact info is in the the approved vendor link
Best regardsJeff Prechtel
A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.
-Cezanne -
Re: Top Hats
Thomas,
I agree that Tim Bender is the man to call. I ordered a shag top hat from him about a year ago and it is perfect! After speaking to him on the phone, I e-mailed a picture of a topper I wanted, and it came out wonderful. Take my word, his top hats are the best and most accurate I have seen. Plus, he is a super guy to work with.
Chris[FONT="Book Antiqua"][B]Christopher P. Young[/B]
[/FONT] [URL="http://bullyforbragg.blogspot.com"]Army of Tennessee[/URL]
[URL="http://www.antebellumpoliticing.blogspot.com/"]Our Federal Union, It Must Be Preserved[/URL]
[FONT="Palatino Linotype"]"Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character." Secretary of State Henry Clay, July 27,1827[/FONT]Comment
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Re: Top Hats
As afra as what makes a good top hat, you must include eveything you do with other good perios headwear. Materials, constructions, shape, dimensions... Top hats are a little more tircky in that they became REALLY popular after the war and so many different styles were around. Tim makes the best two styles for our period, and can make them out of some sweet materials as well.Mitchell L Critel
Wide Awake Groupie
Texas Ground HornetsComment
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Re: Top Hats
Let's do a little comparative analysis. I have attached some thumbnails of the top hat Tim made for me as well as some daguerreotype images dating in the 1850-1860 range. I believe you can judge for yourself. I also have an original 1890s top hat, and it is considerably shorter in height and brim width. You may also want to consider Dr. Debbie Henderson's The Top Hat: An Illustrated History to get a better understanding of the top hats in use before, during, and after the war.
ChrisLast edited by CYoungJSU; 01-20-2008, 02:10 PM.[FONT="Book Antiqua"][B]Christopher P. Young[/B]
[/FONT] [URL="http://bullyforbragg.blogspot.com"]Army of Tennessee[/URL]
[URL="http://www.antebellumpoliticing.blogspot.com/"]Our Federal Union, It Must Be Preserved[/URL]
[FONT="Palatino Linotype"]"Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character." Secretary of State Henry Clay, July 27,1827[/FONT]Comment
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Re: Top Hats
Top hats are for nancies Tom :tounge_sm
However, I do recall seing a photograph of some prisoners from the Army of Tennesee maybe at Camp Douglas, where a dashing rogue is wearing a top-hat. There's a crop of part of it on Clearwater Hat's website. If I remember correctly there's a guy wearing a plaid shirt in the front row.
Does anyone else know this picture, or did I just make it up?Andrew Donovan
Michigan
I think many of us get nostalgic about the past and like to think somehow that the world our mid-19th century ancestors lived in was free from many of the "sins" of our present world. Truth is, the more you study the past the more you realize that there's really nothing new under the sun. They struggled with many (most) of the same problems we do today.
-Ian McWherterComment
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Re: Top Hats
Brian white showed me a picture of two Federal soldiers that Cut their issue hats to look like top hats. Ill see if its still on my computer, if not ill look around for it. Its quite interesting!
John[FONT="Georgia"][SIZE="3"]John R. Legg[/SIZE][/FONT]
[email]Johnlegg90@gmail.com[/email]
"Alright, Legg, what did you screw up now?" - C. Henderson
Ft.Blakeley LH - May 25-27
Maryland, My Maryland. - September 7-9
6th Wisconsin Antietam LH - September 15-17
150th Perryville - October 5-7
Valley Forge - January 18-20, 2013Comment
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Re: Top Hats
Yeah no one in the MLK could wear one because they are for men of status and influence. Not your run of the mill, oK enough of that, HAHA. Yeah I see allot on Ebay and it s hard to recognize a period hat from latter. I know beaver hats are still popular but it seems silk is coming into fashion also. Well thanks for the pics.Thomas J. Alleman
"If the choice be mine, I chose to march." LORComment
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Re: Top Hats
Good images Mr Young.:)
Many people don't realize, but the overwhelming majority of top hats worn in the mid-19th century were made from silk plush on a lacquered cotton or cardboard base. These were hugely popular and manufactured in Europe (principally in Lyons, France) and in the United States (American silk plush toppers were considered equal to the French) by the millions. The fact that you'll find 5 original silk plush top hats for every wool one, would suggest their popularity. What makes that statistic even more amazing is the fact that these silk plush hats were only meant to last about 3 months for city use and stronger ones, made for country use, were made to last about a year. After that you threw your hat in the trash and bought a new one. These hats were cheap and readily available, in fact the "cheaper" quality silk plush hats had a glossier shine so they were often preferred by "gents" and "dandies". We often forget that our mid-19th century forebearers lived in a disposable, materialistic consumer society as well.
When you look at original photographs there's no mistaking these silk hats, the shine is a dead give-away. No wool felt, I don't care how good the quality is or how much shellac you pour on it, can shine like that! The unfortunate problem is "hatter's plush" is no longer manufactured in the world today, the last company doing so was in Lyons, France in the 1980s. There was a falling out with the family that owned the company and the looms were destroyed (I heard that someone burned them). One of these days, if I can ever get caught up with my sewing
, I'm going to make one of these top hats out of some silk plush I managed to find.
That said, I'll join the chorus of individuals singing Tim Bender's praises. I too own one of his delectable shag body wool toppers and couldn't be happier.:DIan McWherter
"With documentation you are wearing History, without it, it's just another costume."-David W. RickmanComment
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Re: Top Hats
Now thinking of it, I believe two of those images should be attributed to you Mr. McWherter...:)[FONT="Book Antiqua"][B]Christopher P. Young[/B]
[/FONT] [URL="http://bullyforbragg.blogspot.com"]Army of Tennessee[/URL]
[URL="http://www.antebellumpoliticing.blogspot.com/"]Our Federal Union, It Must Be Preserved[/URL]
[FONT="Palatino Linotype"]"Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character." Secretary of State Henry Clay, July 27,1827[/FONT]Comment
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Re: Top Hats
I found it! On Wikipedia no less.
Here's the picture I remember seeing.
Check out the blade in the second row, second from right in the topper.
Does anyone know anything about this picture?
Andrew Donovan
Michigan
I think many of us get nostalgic about the past and like to think somehow that the world our mid-19th century ancestors lived in was free from many of the "sins" of our present world. Truth is, the more you study the past the more you realize that there's really nothing new under the sun. They struggled with many (most) of the same problems we do today.
-Ian McWherterComment
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Re: Top Hats
No need, after all I found them while meandering around online. Both images were from ebay auctions of daguerreotypes, you can find some of the neatest Antebellum images on there.:)Originally posted by CYoungJSU View PostIan McWherter
"With documentation you are wearing History, without it, it's just another costume."-David W. RickmanComment
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Re: Top Hats
Frank L. Byrne, et al in The Image of War: Fighting for Time, Vol. 4, pp. 417-420, - seems to imply they are one group from a series of photos of Confederate prisoners at Camp Douglas. The specific photo is on pg. 420.Originally posted by Motown View PostI found it! On Wikipedia no less.
Here's the picture I remember seeing.
Check out the blade in the second row, second from right in the topper.
Does anyone know anything about this picture?
Bob Roeder
"I stood for a time and cried as freely as boys do when things hurt most; alone among the dead, then covered his face with an old coat I ran away, for I was alone passing dead men all about as I went". Pvt. Nathaniel C. Deane (age 16, Co D 21st Mass. Inf.) on the death of his friend Pvt. John D. Reynolds, May 31, 1864.Comment
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Re: Top Hats
OK now the question of the hats sold on say Ebay are top hats, silk or beaver but telling what period they come from is well sometimes hard, sometimes not. Question is are they acceptable in the Civil War realm? And if so what do you look for?Thomas J. Alleman
"If the choice be mine, I chose to march." LORComment
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Re: Top Hats
I just couldn't help myself in attaching these other two images. I really think the first image is very interesting considering the tapering of the crown, plus you can't help but love the overcoat and gloves. The second daguerreotype is of a "coachman" with whip.
ChrisLast edited by CYoungJSU; 01-20-2008, 02:10 PM.[FONT="Book Antiqua"][B]Christopher P. Young[/B]
[/FONT] [URL="http://bullyforbragg.blogspot.com"]Army of Tennessee[/URL]
[URL="http://www.antebellumpoliticing.blogspot.com/"]Our Federal Union, It Must Be Preserved[/URL]
[FONT="Palatino Linotype"]"Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character." Secretary of State Henry Clay, July 27,1827[/FONT]Comment
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