Fire Hat, "Lowell"
date: label: date made
content: late 18th to early 19th
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: Before the advent of the Gratacap hat in the 1830’s, with its familiar rearward projecting brim, fire companies often sported wide-brim leather hats that resembled top hats. This hat says little about company affiliation. Printed in gold letters on the front brim is “Lowell” referring possibly to Lowell, Massachusetts. Early fire hats lacked reinforced wire brims or combs and offered little protection against falling projectiles, and this hat was probably valued more for its water resistance.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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: 2005.0233.0208
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0208
objectType: label: Object Name
content: helmet, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 in x 13 1/2 in x 5 in; 35.56 cm x 34.29 cm x 12.7 cm