Collapsible top hat

Accessories

Inventory number
2021.2.1.21.AC.HT.C1900.FR
Description
Black silk top hat called a collapsible topper due to the fact that it can be folded easily with the folding system.

The collapsible hat, also called gibus, is a French invention, which takes again the idea of ​​the "hats-arms" of the XVIIIth century, which one can carry under the arm, like the bicorne. The collapsible hat is a top hat that flattens and pops up using mechanical springs. When the hat is folded, it only takes a little push to bring it back to shape.

The first trials of folding top hats took place in 1824 in London. It was Antoine GIBUS, hatmaker at Place des Victoires in Paris, who filed the first patent on July 23, 1834, followed by his whole family, brother, son, nephew. The Gibus will claim no less than 30 mechanical hat patents between 1834 and 1870.

In 1828, the male sex considered that "all the authority of fashion is necessary for this hairstyle to be accepted: the felt, not being erased, softens and takes the most bizarre forms". Finally, the practicality of the GIBUS will be recognized and highly prized during receptions and trips.
Materials
Silk
Metal
Origin
circa 1900 Paris, France
Dimensions
Width : 30 cm
Length : 25 cm
Height : 15 cm