Accessory set

Scott & Company|Dobbs

ca. 1925 · silk, wool, leather, cotton · Costume Institute

The two different hats, a top hat and a collapsible opera hat, offer a glimpse into the necessary components of a man's hat wardrobe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The opera hat, covered in faille, was worn to the theater and could be flattened to fit under the gentleman's seat, while the fixed topper featured plush covering, which was more easily crushed and required frequent brushing to look sleek. The Honorable Selah B. Strong owned these two hats and their custom-fttted carrying case. Strong, a New York State Supreme Court Justice from 1925-1933, likely traveled a great deal and required both types of hat, as well as the specialty luggage in which to carry them.

Artist

Scott & Company|Dobbs

Date

ca. 1925

Medium

silk, wool, leather, cotton

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Winefred Strong in memory of Selah B. Strong, State Supreme Court Judge, 1920s, 1956