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# Hope Fire Company Fire Hat

National Museum of American History

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                      -     Object Details- associated
- Hope Fire Company
- unknown
- Description
- Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes. During the 19th century, these fire hats became more ornate, as portraits of historical figures, patriotic scenes, allegorical images, or company icons were painted alongside the company’s name, motto, or founding date. Made of pressed felt, these “stove-pipe” hats were primarily used in Philadelphia, but other nearby cities such as Baltimore and Washington adopted them as well. Fire hats were personal items with the owner’s initials often painted on the top of the hat. While these hats were worn at fires, they are more colloquially known as “parade hats.” Fire companies commonly marched in the many parades of the period and these ornate hats contributed to the visual culture of their day. These distinguishing features in a company’s regalia often proclaimed the members’ cultural and political identity as well as their position on contested topics such as work, religion and immigration.
- This fire hat was used in the eastern United States during the first half of the 19th century. The hat is painted black overall, with a painting on its front featuring a female figure clothed in a white robe with an anchor at her side, and stormy sea behind her. The painting is encircled in a red border with gold trim that reads “HOPE FIRE COMPY” in gold lettering. The back of the hat features the company’s initials “H.F.C.” in large golden letters, with a diamond shape above and below. The owner’s initials “J.J.S.” are on the crown of the hat. The female figure with anchor is a classical allegorical representation of Hope.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
- 1810-1860
- ID Number
- 2005.0233.0058
- catalog number
- 2005.0233.0058
- accession number
- 2005.0233
- Object Name
- hat, fire
- Physical Description
- painted (overall production method/technique)
- fabric, pressed felt (overall material)
- paint (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 7 1/2 in x 13 in x 13 5/8 in; 19.05 cm x 33.02 cm x 34.6075 cm
- place made
- United States
- Related Publication
- Heritage of Flames
- McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of the Insurance Company of North America
- See more items in
- Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
- Cultures & Communities
- Clothing & Accessories
- Fire Hats
- Work
- Firefighting Collection
- Art
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Fire Fighting
- Fraternal Associations
- Record ID
- nmah_1318685
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-04a1-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
  Hope Fire Company Parade Hat, frontCC0Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved iconUsage Conditions Apply>download icon>          This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions).  You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian.  For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.        International media Interoperability FrameworkIIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.View manifestView in Mirador ViewerExpand to view image×                PreviousNext             Footer logo      
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