Hat Plait

Men’s Yeddo hat

This hat, probably made between 1930-1950 has a label in the crown tip that tells us both the manufacturer and name of the hat style. The manufacturer is Fischer of Dottikon which was located in canton Aargau, Switzerland. The style is: The Imported Genuine Swiss Yeddo. Made in Switzerland. This information offers various points of research for costume historians. What does the label mean by Imported and why is what would be known in Switzerland as a Röhrlihut called a Yeddo? This hat was purchased from the United States does that explain the reference to Imported? As to the name Yeddo, was this used instead of the more difficult to pronounce Röhrlihut? Did it denote the use of straws imported from Japan?

Toddler’s protective hat

This unusual hat was purchased from a baby-wear shop near Barcelona, Spain, in the 1990s. Worn by toddlers, it provides a head protection. I was told that blue ribbons were added for a boy and pink for a girl. There is a similar style of hat in the hat collections at Wardown House Museum, Luton which dates to the 1940s, however that hat is said to have come from Belgium. You will note that this hat is made by knotting the whole straws in place, but there are subtle differences from the Röhrlihut, the method of starting the hat is the most noticeable. This hat is a Gorres de Cop and was made in Spain. A full account of this type of work can be found on the website of The Straw Shop.

Women’s straw turban

I am very grateful to the owner of this wonderful straw turban for allowing me to include this on my website. This hat is now on display in the Decembrist House Museum in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia. This is an incredibly rare and historically important hat dating to the period 1800-1810. Made using a knotting technique the threads have been replaced with fine wires. This unusual technique is outlined in a British Patent dated 1798 and attributed to Peter Boileau of London. Originally the areas that are now open, were filled with a dyed black straw, wrapped with a green ombre silk ribbon. The dyestuffs have corroded the straws and only fragments remain. The natural coloured straw is wrapped with a pink silk ribbon. An elaborately mounted silk tassel adorns the back of the turban.

Straw bath hat

This hat comes from the Schloss Ambras collection and is held at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. I thank them for enabling me to share this fascinating and most beautiful hat. It is exceptionally rare and exceptionally luxurious. This hat is mentioned in a Schloss Ambras inventory dated 1596 and appears to be attributed to Phillipine Welser. She died in 1580 therefore if this hat was hers it may have been made during, or before 1580. The straw is wrapped with silk thread and decorated with gold and silver wire. On the crown, cloves have been inserted and in place of the clove bud, a pearl has been inserted. Although called a bath hat it seems more likely that it was worn in a steam bath, not a water bath. Hats of this shape, not necessarily made of straw, are documented as having been worn in steam baths from the late 1400s.