Pennsylvania Fire Company Fire Hat
date: label: date made
content: 1810-1860
name: label: associated
content: Pennsylvania Volunteer Fire Company
label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: 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.
label: Description
content: This hat was used in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the first half of the 19th century. The hat is painted black overall, with a central painting of the coat of arms of Pennsylvania. Within the central shield are images of a ship, plow, and three sheaves of wheat, representing commerce, labor, and the importance of agriculture respectively. The shield is flanked by two rearing white horses. A spread-wing eagle stands on top of the shield and beneath the shield is a red banner with gold trim bearing the text “VIRTUE LIBERTY INDEPENDENCE” in gold. The back of the hat has the text “PENNSYLVANIA” arching over the owner’s initials “J.B.” in gold paint. The Pennsylvania Fire Company was established in Philadelphia in 1806 and in 1839 withdrew from active service in protest of the rioting amongst the fire companies.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
label: associated
content: United States: Pennsylvania
topic: label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
label: Subject
content: Fraternal Associations
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
label: See more items in
content: Cultures & Communities
label: See more items in
content: Clothing & Accessories
label: See more items in
content: Fire Hats
label: See more items in
content: Work
label: See more items in
content: Firefighting Collection
label: See more items in
content: Art
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of the Insurance Company of North America
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0078
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0078
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
objectType: label: Object Name
content: hat, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: fabric, pressed felt (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: painted (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 7 in x 14 1/2 in x 15 1/8 in; 17.78 cm x 36.83 cm x 38.4175 cm