I decided I had better make sure my Victorian Hat is ready to wear on our candlelight tours "Victorian Funeral Practices" in a few weeks from now. I have a very busy October so I don't want to leave it to last. It is a good thing I decided to do it too, it needed some work.
The Black Victorian Hat has been in storage for probably 20 years with brief periods of time when I check it out and visit it. I bought it in Pennsylvania and it is in great condition except the ties.
First for a little tour of the hat. It is so intricate I am always amazed at the handiwork.
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| From the side |
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| Looking down at the front top |
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| The back of the top |
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| When the flash isn't lighting it up it is really hard to see the details. |
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| Looking underneath at the bottom |
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| The makers mark under the lining |
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| The lining is shattering |
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| The ribbon ties are shredding |
I have decided to fold and baste the ties together and put them inside the hat. The ties are actually the ends of the braiding decoration on top. I hate to take away any of the original material of an antique so the ties will not be cut, just stored away under the hat lining.
I started the new lining which will be stitched on top of the original lining that is coming apart.
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| The ties are attached to the decoration on the top. |
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| The new lining is stitched on with gray thread all around the inside of the underneath. |
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| The ties are folded inside the hat |
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| The new lining is folded in. |
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| And the center part of the lining is gathered and closed. |
I have some new black grosgrain ribbon ordered to replace the original ties. Once the ties are added, the hat will be ready to wear!
Love that hat - so complicated to make I'm sure. What year is it from?
ReplyDeleteI think maybe as far back as 1860s, 1870s. The hat styles changed a lot through the years, but the bonnets seem to have been more in those periods. After that they seem to get taller or wider.
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