Need help dating hats

zannew

zannew

Registered Guest
Hi, I found these great hats at an estate sale. Any info. you may have would be appreciated. I especially would like help with dating them and materials used.

Thanks so much!

This one is made in Austria. The printing inside the crown of the hoat says Vis a Vis. There is a satin label that says an exclusive Lisa New York Paris.

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This one has a satin label that says Mister T exclusive

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Hello,

These are beautiful hats, very good quality and the deep midnight blue or indigo color is stunning. Both are 1960's era.

Both hats are made of high quality fur felt. The first (Austria is the source of the blank form used to make the hat) is made of imported fur felt in 2 different naps/lengths, the crown appears to be a "plush" fur felt (it is definitely not wool), and the brim is a longer napped fur felt. Aside from the Edwardian era, these long napped fur felts were not commonly used for women's hats until circa 1960, and were very popular in the early to mid 1960's, and I would date both of your hats from that time.

The second hat is also made of a fur felt (it is not a fur hide or skin). The unique process for this specialty felt included the addition of Angora rabbit hairs or similar hairs, which gives it the "rabbit" fur effect. The manufacturer would give the felt blank a specialty name such as "mousse" or some other novelty name for it to be sold to the milliner or hat manufacturer.

I hope this has been helpful.

The color is outstanding and they are a superior felt which would have made them on the expensive side when new.

Regards, Barbara
 
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