This is a black straw tricorn hat, featuring a large brown ostrich feather wrapped around the crown. Ostrich feathers were most popular as a fashion accessory from the 1880's until the First World War. The crown meets the brim very gradually, and the folded brim has a slight downward slope. The lining consists of a thin black material, and meets in the middle, leaving a circular opening. There's also a black ribbon ending in a bow sewn into the lining that keeps the circular shape.
The maker's mark is printed in gold on the underside of the hat, within the opening left by the lining. All of this indicates the hat would have been used between 1880 and 1914.
This hat is part of our extensive collection of Gilded Age hats found within the Rogers Mansion. It is on display for our 'High Style in the Gilded Age' exhibit at the Southampton History Museum.
