An Improved Fez or Head Covering.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
An Improved Fez or Head Covering.
We, MEHEMET RAIF, of 7, l'Appartement Mimaridi, près la Tour de Galata,
and FAUSTIN COUTEAUX and RICHARD COUTEAUX, trading as Coûteaux Frères & Cie,
of 39, Rue Vairoda, Vitalisttan No. 2, Galata, both at Constantinople, in the
Ottoman Empire, Captain of Artillery, and Employée in the Drawing Office of
the Master of the Imperial Ottoman Artillery, and Bankers, respectively, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The fez worn by the Ottoman people is preferable to any other head covering. It
is particularly suitable for winter wear. During the summer and more particularly
in hot countries however as these fezes are of wool and confine the air between the
fez and the skull, the said air is condensed and incapable of circulating freely
and acts directly on the brain, thus causing a large number of cerebral, ophthalmic
and catarrhal maladies, and is also a cause of baldness. These wool fezes havq
further material drawbacks such as becoming greasily moist by perspiration, and
requiring frequent cleanings or blockings, and therefore efforts have long been
made to improve them and even several kinds of fezes have been produced, among
others one of cork which did not produce the advantages expected, which is
shown both by the admissions of the experimenters and also by the fact that it
has not come into use.
As man is instinctively induced to vary with the greatest care in each season his
food and drink as well as the clothing intended to cover different parts of his
body why should he deprive the head of such care? It is the most important
part of his body, the regulation of the vital equilibrium and the seat of the most
delicate senses. For this reason we have successfully invented a. fez for the
summer season.
In the accompanying drawing which shows a fez in sectional elevation
A is the body of the fex, B the mouth or opening of same, C an internal lining
of leather or the like, D the top of the fez, and E the tube or socket in which
the tassle is attached.
This improved fez according to the present invention is formed essentially of
straw, hay or other like cool material. It is made in the form and in the colour
of a fez of single or double fabric, finely and closely worked, and of very light
weight. It is precisely of the same shape as fezes at present worn but it is pro-
vided internally with a lining of leather or other suitable fabric. It is quite as
elegant, it does not become soft nor stretch and has no need of being frequently
reblocked.
As straw has cooling properties, the interstices in the texture of the fez being
numerous, although such straw is made in a double layer, this improved fez allows
air to circulate freely between the head and the fez which conforms perfectly
with the rules of hygiene.
The fozes may be made of any suitable sizes.

page_text: i
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
A fez or like head covering composed substantially as herein before described
and shown in the accompanying drawings with the object of obtaining a summer
fez complying with the requirements of hygiene.
Dated this 21st day of March 1899
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.