Franklin Hose Company Fire Hat
date: label: date made
content: c.1840-1860
name: label: associated
content: Franklin Hose Company
label: depicted, commemorated
content: Franklin, Benjamin
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 fire hat was used in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the first half of the 19th century. The hat is painted black overall, with a portrait of Benjamin Franklin painted inside a golden oval frame on the front. The portrait is flanked by red banners with gold trim that reads “FRANKLIN/HOSE COMPY” in gold. The back of the hat has the date “1838” painted in large gold numbers. The crown of the hat has the owner’s initials “J.S.” Franklin Hose Company No.28 was founded in Philadelphia in 1838, with its firehouse on Broad Street near Fitzwater. Benjamin Franklin was well known for organizing the first volunteer fire company in Philadelphia, and his image and his name were popular among the city’s fire companies. They acquired a steam fire engine in 1863. In 1867 they purchased the charter for the Harmony Engine Company No. 6 and changed their name. The newly christened Harmony Engine Company No. 6 operated as a hose and steam fire engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
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
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Fire Hats
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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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: 2005.0233.0039
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0039
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
objectType: label: Object Name
content: hat, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: painted (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: fabric, pressed felt (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: black (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: red (underbrim color)
label: Physical Description
content: gold (decorative trim color)
label: Physical Description
content: multicolored (decorative painting color)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 6 3/4 in x 12 in x 13 1/2 in; 17.145 cm x 30.48 cm x 34.29 cm