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Dunlap & Co. N.Y. Silk Top Hat

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Top Hats7 of 361950's Tress & Co. Silk Top HatLate 1800's Top Hat Case
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    Posted 8 years ago

    jscott0363
    (886 items)

    Hello fellow collectors!!!

    A few weeks ago, while searching for treasures in an antique mall, I stumbled upon a very old, dried out and dilapidated top hat case with a very dirty silk Dunlap & Co top hat inside. Apparently, it had been passed on by several folks, due to it's condition, so I made a low offer to the person at the counter and they accepted. I knew I had found quite a nice little treasure!

    The hat case was irrecoverable and ended up in the garbage, but the hat cleaned up and polished to near mint condition. It's from the 1895-1905 period. This would have been a very high end hat in its' day and would have sold for about $8.00 during that period. That was nearly a weeks' salary for the average working man.

    I was thrilled to be able to add a Dunlap & Co. N.Y. top hat to my collection. Especially one so beautiful. Based on the age of this one and the nice lay and shine of the silk, there's no doubt that this one is covered in beaver silk. Rabbit or ermine would not be this highly polished. This one also contains the initials of the original owner T.B.W.

    Robert Dunlap received his first job at the age of 12 in 1857 as a general office boy for Charles Knox of Knox Hats in New York. Soon the boy graduated to the ranks of the hat salesmen, and several years later was still selling Knox hats, his salary having risen to $12 weekly. Ambitious, he asked for $15, and when Knox refused the raise the angry, Dunlap left to start his own business. Thus began the famed Dunlap hat company, founded by a onetime Knox errand boy.

    By the late 1890's Dunlap Hats was known for the quality of its high end “formal” hats, such as top hats and bowlers. In deed, Dunlap succeeded in turning out the blackest derbies ever known, the Dunlap hat eventually outsold the Knox in Manhattan. For many a year small hat-makers held up their spring lines until they could see and imitate the Dunlap derby and the Knox felt.

    As for Knox-Dunlap competition, both the Knox and the Dunlap businesses declined in the second decade of the 20th century and in 1918 Dunlap was acquired by Knox, though hats under the Dunlap name continued to be produced.

    Thanks all for stopping and having a look!!!

    Scott

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    Comments

    1. fleafinder fleafinder, 8 years ago
      the hat glows!
    2. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Thanks Thomas!
      I must agree that this was a nice save. So many of these end up in garbage dumps because folks fail to see the potential. Thanks for the comment, the love and for stopping in. Always appreciated!!
    3. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      fleafinder,
      Thank you!!!! It does seem to glow. Thanks for the lovely comment, the love and for stopping by. Always genuinely appreciated!!!
    4. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Rob,
      Thanks very much for the appreciation and for stopping by. I do appreciate it very much!!
    5. TassieDevil TassieDevil, 8 years ago
      These hats are so great Scott, can't believe the shine you get on them.
      Are they the brushes you use and the powder?
    6. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Judy,
      Thanks so much!! Those are vintage French made hat brushes and a full unopened can of Handy Hatter hat cleaning powder from the 1920 period. I just used them for display purposes.
      Hate to give up my hat cleaning and polishing secrets, but K-Y jelly works well for polishing these silk top hats, after a thorough cleaning though. And, believe or not, a light wipe down with a damp Mr. Clean Magic Eraser also works well for a fantastic shine on these old silk hats. You MUST be sure and take extreme caution when using them or you'll ruin the hat.
    7. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Thanks everyone for the loves and for stopping in to admire my Dunlap & Co. top hat,

      Judy

      Bonnie

      kivatinitz

      Kyra

      Pops

      and

      Mike

      I do appreciate you all sincerely!!!
    8. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      ho2cultcha ,
      Thanks so much for the love and for stopping in. I do appreciate it very much!!
    9. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      vetraio,
      Thanks so very much for the appreciation and for stopping by. I do appreciate it!
    10. TassieDevil TassieDevil, 8 years ago
      Hi Scott, Silly me, I thought it was unusual that you could still buy special powder and brushes to clean hats like this!!! They make a great display, I love them!!
      Thanks for sharing your tips, not that I ever expect to find a top hat here, but it would be nice to have one!!!!
    11. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Judy,
      You never know when you might stumble across a nice top hat in your treasure hunts. Most of the really nice ones are way overpriced in my area, so I have to seek them out when I travel or tips from friends on where to find them.
    12. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Thanks so very much for the loves and for taking time to drop in and admire my Dunlap top hat,

      vintagelamp

      and

      OneGoodFind

      I do certainly appreciate you both very much!!
    13. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Alan,
      Thanks so very much for the appreciation and for stopping by. Much appreciated!!!!
    14. fortapache fortapache, 8 years ago
      You wil be set for a fine game of Monopoly with that fancy silk top hat.
    15. fleafinder fleafinder, 8 years ago
      Scott you should totally do a dress up to look like your profile pic one day- silk hat, tailcoat, trunk in hand, pipe in mouth:)))ohlalala
    16. racer4four racer4four, 8 years ago
      Wonderful save Scott. The hat is fortunate it ended up with someone who knows what they are doing. I guess the wrecked hat box might have helped it survive a bit!
      Great background on the Dunlap brand too!
    17. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      fortapache,
      Lol! Thanks friend! Thanks also for the appreciation and for stopping by. Very kindly appreciated!!
    18. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      fleafinder,
      Yep, wouldn't that be something:) Thanks for the fun comment, the love and for stopping in. Always greatly appreciated!!!!
    19. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Karen,
      Thanks so much!! Yes, if it weren't for the dilapidated hat case protecting the hat, it would have never survived. Glad you enjoyed the history on Dunlap & Co. Thanks for the wonderful comment, the love and for stopping in. Always very sincerely appreciated!!!
    20. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Penny,
      Thanks so very much for the love and for stopping by. I do appreciate it very much!
    21. Manikin Manikin, 8 years ago
      Looks amazing ! I had acquired a real love of these hats since you have been sharing your collection .
    22. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Thanks Mani!!
      So glad you like it. I have quite a passion for collecting old top hats and already have, what seems to be, way too many in my collection:) I have trouble passing up a great top hat. I really hate to see these old beauties improperly handled and eventually trashed. Thanks for the comment, the love ad for stopping in. Always very greatly appreciated!!!
    23. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Dave,
      Thanks very much for the appreciation and for stopping by. I do appreciate it very much!
    24. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Bensallright,
      Thanks very much for the appreciation and for stopping in to check out my top hat. Very greatly appreciated!!!
    25. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Thanks very much for the appreciations and for stopping by

      NevadaBlades

      and

      Roy

      I do appreciate you both very much!!
    26. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Jean,
      Thanks very much for the appreciation and for stopping in to check out my top hat. Very greatly appreciated!!!
    27. Rick55 Rick55, 8 years ago
      What a wonderful find Scott! It must be especially gratifying to bring it back to its almost original condition :-)
    28. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Rick,
      Many thanks!!! Yes, it is extremely gratifying to bring old items back to life, especially trunks and top hats. It's also my way of disconnecting from work at night time and weekends. Thanks for the appreciation and for taking time to drop by. Always appreciated my friend!!!
    29. jscott0363 jscott0363, 8 years ago
      Thanks so very much for the loves and for stopping in

      SEAN

      and

      ho2cultcha

      I do appreciate you both!!
    30. jscott0363 jscott0363, 4 years ago
      Ken,
      Thanks very much for the love and for stopping in!!

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