Antique Millinery Puzzle Block Hat Form c.1890-1920

Details

Description

ABOUT

An original late 19th c./early 20th century wooden millinery hat block made in five parts, including the base. Company … Read more ABOUT

An original late 19th c./early 20th century wooden millinery hat block made in five parts, including the base. Company logo stamped in front along with "3024" and "back" on the other side. Remnants of old newspapers are attached to the inside blocks.

CREATOR Capitol Hat Block Company NY.
DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1890-1920.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Wood.
CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use.
DIMENSIONS H 9.25 in. W 9 in. D 8 in.

HISTORY

In millinery, 'blocking' is the process of shaping material onto a mold to form the body of the hat. Hat blocks are the molds used in this process. They are usually carved from wood, but you can also find aluminum and poly blocks.
Hat blocks have been used in men's hat-making for over 200 years.Early hat blocks were made from wood turned on a lathe, making them perfectly round, which was fine if the hat was to be placed over a wig. However, this changed in the early 1800s when wigs began to fall out of fashion. Hats now needed to fit to the true shape of their wearers' heads, so block-makers began carving their hat blocks by hand in a more oval shape.This opened up new possibilities for the shaping of hats. Soon there were many different styles in use, which changed and developed over the years.Hat blocks can be made from a single wood block or from several separate pieces which can be assembled in various ways to achieve different effects. These are sometimes known as 'puzzle blocks'. See less