Figure 1.--Hre we see an unidentified mnericn boy holding a high-sideed hat in 1864. The portrait clealy shows the hats features. Click on the image to see the full portrait.

This is another hat style for which we do not know the proper name. We can only describe and the main feature and add more detailed information as our archive expands. Hopefully HBC readers sill know more. The major feature is the high stiff sides. It was not a high-top hat that were worn by men in the 1850s-70s, but there are destinctive high sides, quite destinct from the much more popular rounded-crown hats without notable sides. They were somewhere between boaters and top hats. There were variations in the height, vericality of the side, width of brim, and hat top with both rounded and flat tops. We do not know how popular this hat was, but we have not notice it very commnly in the photographic record, suggesting they were not nearly as popular as several other styles. We also do not know the chronology of these hats. They may have been most popular just before the advent of photography. We note that George Caleb Bingham in his election paintings from the mid-19th century depicts both men and boys wearing rather conical shaped hats. We do not see this much after the Civil War. Here we notice one boy holding an example of a high-sided hat with perpindicular sides in 1865. Nor do we know the age conventions. Bingham's paintings depict both men and boys wearing them. The boy holding the example is about 10 years old. We notice another American boy, Clifton Harrison, wearing another high-sided hat, this one slightly cinical, in 1866.

Terminology

This is another hat style for which we do not know the proper name. We can only describe and the main feature and add more detailed information as our archive expands. Hopefully HBC readers sill know more. The major feature is the high stiff sides.

Features

It was not a high-top hat that were worn by men in the 1850s-70s, but there are destinctive high sides, quite destinct from the much more popular rounded-crown hats without notable sides. They were somewhere between boaters and top hats. There were quitwea range of variations. In fact, there are so nany variables thst it is difficult to categorize these hats as a single type. Variations exist in the height, vericality of the side, width of brim, and the way the tops are done. The height was a range of heights greater than boaters or less than top hats. The verticality was both straight up and a range of angles. We notice another American boy, Clifton Harrison, wearing another high-sided hat, this one slightly conical, in 1866. The brims also varied in width, but they were mostly small and medium widths. The hat tops were both rounded and flat tops. Our archive is still very limited and we have just begun to assess the many varies styles. We believe that one reason that there were so many of these hats was that mass production techniques were just beginning to be developed.

Popularity

We do not know how popular this hat was, but we have not notice it very commnly in the photographic record, suggesting they were not nearly as popular as several other styles.

Chronology

We also do not know the chronology of these hats. They may have been most popular just before the advent of photography. We note that George Caleb Bingham in his election paintings from the mid-19th century depicts both men and boys wearing rather conical shaped hats. We do not see this much after the Civil War. Here we notice one boy holding an example of a high-sided hat with perpindicular sides in 1865.

Age Conventions

Nor do we know the age conventions. Bingham's paintings depict both men and boys wearing them. The boy holding the example is about 10 years old.

Created: 1:41 PM 1/23/2008
Last updated: 9:56 PM 2/6/2010