Dating and Cleaning of a JJ Haggarty Cloak and Suit House Hat

[Emily O]

Hi Everyone,

Buried within a lot of amazing hats was this beauty! Unfortunately, she is very dirty with age spots. The overlay is silk. Does anyone have any tips on cleaning this piece and hats in general? I am afraid my general methods my damage the silk and/or not be effective. I also do not know the true date of the piece, but I am thinking 1920's -30s?

Made by JJ Haggarty New York- Cloak and Suit House - Los Angeles

She is definitely worth a shot to try and salvage. I never like giving up on a piece this gorgeous, however I feel hope may be lost.

Emily

 

[Jonathan]

It looks late teens into the early 20s - very Mary Pickfordesque.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

That is a beautiful hat. I agree with Jonathan's dating. Is it soiled on the velvet? It looks as if those tiny tan spots are not dirt or soil, but possibly are starch or some agent in the silk that has aged, and caused what we often refer to as "rust spots". Another possibility is that the spots were caused by moisture damage from a long time ago, which made mold or mildew spots. The mildew/mold died off but left a stain. I have not attempted to remove this type of spot from any of my hats, for the same reasons you cited. The areas with the spotting may disintegrate if you attempt to clean the silk as they have weakened the fibers.

It might be best to keep her as she is and she is still a lovely display. To some collectors (like myself), the hat still has value.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Yes, I agree with Barbara - the silk has foxing, and will not likely come out of the old silk without damaging it. I would leave as is. It's caused by temperature changes, poor storage and mildew. Very common in old silks and often called "rust" or "age spots".