1934 Hat
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1933-1937 A straw hat
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The back of the hat
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The label on the lining
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Description
The fabric of the hat is made of a variety of straws woven together with strips of orange unspun wool.
The crown is made separately from the brim and the brown thread stitching them together can be seen just above the band in the close-up detail image.
The top of the crown has been pinched into two ridges about ⅜" high; they are 2⅜" apart at the top and come together 2" above the band at the front and 1½" at the back.
The brim has a seam at the centre back where it is 1" wide; it widens to 1¼" at the front and 1½" at the right-hand side.
The band is made of two petersham ribbons; the brown one is ⅝" wide and cinnamon coloured one is ⁹⁄₁₆". At the front the join is covered by a piece of brown ribbon folded over it with two 1½" long tails, and at the back the cinnamon one is knotted round the brown which has a 2" tail.
The hat is lined with brown rayon which is pleated into a flat piece in the crown where the label is printed in gold. This says: The Delmere. Made in England. Created by Reslaw.
Contemporary illustrations
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Advertisement in Country Life, June 1933
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Detail from an advertisement in The Queen, September 1933
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Fashion drawing in Women's Wear, June 1934
History
Reslaw was a brand name used by Paul Walser & Co. Ltd. The straw plait and braid business began in Luton, in 1906, and became a major supplier of fur felts and straws to high-end milliners, with a factory in Luton and a shop at 13 Great Marlborough Street in London.
Contemporary items
More hats from the Hopkins Collection can be seen in Headwear, published by The School of Historical Dress and available from the Hopkins Costume Trust bookshop.