Charlie Chaplin's hat and cane sold for almost £40,000 - Telegraph Film news Charlie Chaplin's hat and cane sold for almost £40,000 Charlie Chaplin's iconic bowler hat and cane were auctioned off for $62,500 (£39,286) this weekend, as part of an auction which also includes a John Lennon nude drawing of himself and Yoko Ono. Film entertainer Charlie Chaplin Photo: Kobal Collection Follow The famous ensemble, a trademark of Chaplin's Little Tramp character, were in "remarkable condition" and had been estimated to go for between $40,000 (£25,157) and $60,000 (£37,736) at the sale by auction house Bonhams on Sunday. When the hat and cane went under the hammer, however, the sale price hit $62,500 the auctioneers said. The 32-inch (81-centimeter) bamboo cane is inscribed "CCLT 36" in black ink, a reference to the Little Tramp, Chaplin's signature character.

Chaplin is said to have devised the tramp persona and wardrobe spontaneously one rainy afternoon in February 1914, seizing various wardrobe items in a communal male dressing room at a Hollywood studio. These included baggy trousers from actor Fatty Arbuckle, size 14 shoes which he had to wear on the wrong feet to keep them from falling off, the hat belonging to Arbuckle's father-in-law, and a moustache intended for another actor. Related Articles Mystery of Charlie Chaplin and the birth certificate 17 Feb 2012 Other items sold on Sunday include a handwritten letter by Beatle John Lennon with a nude drawing of himself and his wife Yoko Ono, sent to an avant-garde magazine publisher in connection with the controversial 1968 "Two Virgins" nude album cover. The letter went for $25,000 (£15,714). Also auctioned were a collection of original photographs of Marilyn Monroe that went for $21,250 (£13,365), and three signed, abstract original oil paintings by crooner Frank Sinatra, the most valuable auctioned for $10,625 (£6,682).

The auction is not the first time the Chaplin's famous hat and cane combination has gone under the hammer. In 2006 a bowler hat and bamboo cane which appeared in the 1940 film The Great Dictator were sold for $140,000 (£77,000). In 2011, the auction of the estate of silent film leading man Douglas Fairbanks, which included more than 430 lots, topped $500,000 (£314,466). The contents of Lillian Gish's apartment went under the hammer for $232,127 (£145,992) in 1995, including an array of clothing, decorative silver and furniture. A multitude of items belonging to Greta Garbo including shoes, designer clothes and bric-a-brac such as a vintage waffle iron are up for sale in LA on December 14 and 15. The enormous lot, comprising the contents of Garbo's New York apartment and Swedish mansion, has prices ranging from £16 to £5,050.

Charlie Chaplin's hat and cane to go under hammer Charlie Chaplin's hat and cane to go under hammer World | Agence France Presse | Updated: November 19, 2012 23:27 IST EMAIL PRINT COMMENTS Los Angeles: Charlie Chaplin's iconic bowler hat and cane are to go under the hammer in Los Angeles this weekend, as part of an auction which also includes a John Lennon nude drawing of himself and Yoko Ono. The hat and cane, trademark of Chaplin's Little Tramp character, are in "remarkable condition" and are estimated to go for between $40,000 and $60,000 at the sale by auction house Bonhams on Sunday. Legend has it that Chaplin came up with the tramp persona and wardrobe spontaneously one rainy afternoon in February 1914, seizing various wardrobe items in a communal male dressing room at a Hollywood studio. These included baggy trousers from Fatty Arbuckle, size 14 shoes which he had to wear on the wrong feet to keep them from falling off, the hat belonging to Arbuckle's father-in-law, and a mustache intended for another actor.

The 32-inch (81-centimeter) bamboo cane is inscribed "CCLT 36" in black ink, a reference to the Little Tramp, Chaplin's signature character. Other items on sale include a handwritten letter by Lennon with a nude drawing of himself and Yoko, sent to an avant-garde magazine publisher in connection with the controversial 1968 "Two Virgins" album cover. The letter is estimated to go for between $18,000 and $22,000, while several other Beatles-related items are also up for sale, including a set of autographs of the four band members before a 1964 Hollywood Bowl show ($4,500 to $6,500). A saxophone which once belonged to jazz legend Charlie Parker has a reserve price of $22,000 to $26,000. Also on sale are various items related to Marilyn Monroe and three signed, abstract original oil paintings by crooner Frank Sinatra.

Bonhams : Charlie Chaplin's trademark bowler hat and cane brings $62,500 at Bonhams in Los Angeles Charlie Chaplin's trademark bowler hat and cane brings $62,500 at Bonhams in Los Angeles A Charlie Chaplin cane and bowler hat Los Angeles – Bonhams is pleased to announce a star studded result for its Entertainment Memorabilia auction on November 18 in Los Angeles. The sale featured a wide variety of items related to Hollywood, Rock & Roll and Animation Art. Highlights include pieces connected to Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Frank Sinatra, Charles Schulz's 'Peanuts,' Bugs Bunny, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bing Crosby. Leading the sale was Charlie Chaplin's trademark bowler hat and cane (est. $40,000-60,000, sold for $62,500). As legend has it, the famous origins of the 'Tramp' persona were concocted almost spontaneously in a dressing room at Keystone Studio right here in Hollywood - one rainy afternoon nearly 100 years ago.

Chaplin created an inspiring ensemble of contrasts: he borrowed Fatty Arbuckle's voluminous trousers, Charles Avery's tiny jacket, Ford Sterling's size 14 shoes (which he was obliged to wear on the wrong feet to keep them falling off), a too-small derby belonging to Arbuckle's father-in-law, and a moustache intended for Mack Swain's use, which he trimmed to toothbrush size. Dr. Catherine Williamson, Director of Entertainment Memorabilia, said of the top lot: "Interest in Charlie Chaplin and the golden age of Hollywood remains strong. We were pleased to offer such an iconic piece of Hollywood history." Also of note was a handwritten letter by John Lennon with a nude drawing of him and Yoko sent to Ralph Ginzburg, publisher of "Avant Garde" Magazine regarding the infamous and controversial "Two Virgins" album cover (est. $18,000-22,000, sold for $25,000). Within the animation section of the auction was an early Charles Schulz Peanuts daily, dated 1966, featuring a classic image of Snoopy as the Red Baron (est.

$10,000-15,000, sold for $28,750); a Charles Schulz Peanuts daily, dated 1977, displaying a classic image of Snoopy holding his dog bowl to his ear, listening for the sound of a restaurant (est. $ 7,000-10,000, sold for $11,875); a Friz Freleng celluloid from the Academy Award® nominated "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt," 1940s, depicting Elmer Fudd dressed as Hiawatha setting the fire under the cauldron that Bugs Bunny is bathing in (est. $800-1,200, sold for $20,000) and property from the celebrated commercial artist, Disney animator, caricature artist and director, Thornton Hee, known affectionately as "T. Hee." Highlights connected to Marilyn Monroe included a large photograph archive, comprising film stills, wardrobe and publicity images of the star (est.

$15,000-20,000, sold for $21,250); a watercolour on paper costume design by Rose Loomis for Monroe in the film "Niagara," 1953 (est. $300-400, sold for $ 6,000) and a signed photograph of the star wearing a bathing suit (est. $3,000-5,000, sold for $4,000). As well, a group of paintings by singer, actor and entertainer Frank Sinatra was prominently featured within the summer auction. Sinatra began painting in the 1970s, focusing primarily on clowns. He later developed his own style, shifting from representational canvases to abstract art. Works of note by Sinatra included a colourful abstract from 1971 (est. $3,000-5,000, sold for $10,625); a square, 30 inch abstract painting (est. $5,000-7,000, sold for $9,375) and a large abstract painting (est.

$5,000-7,000, sold for $6,875). Each painting is signed or initialled by the artist. Items of note from the rock & roll section of the sale included a poster advertising a Jefferson Airplane performance at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco from 1966 (est. $1,000-1,500, sold for $6,000); a first printing of a "Pinnacle" concert poster designed by John Van Hamersveld for Jimi Hendrix 's February 10, 1968 concert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles (est. $1,500-2,000, sold for $6,000) and an iconic "Flying Eyeball" concert poster designed by Rick Gryphon for a February 1968 concert in San Francisco with Hendrix, John Mayall, The Bluebreakers and Albert King at The Fillmore and Winterland. The poster depicts a fiery hole with a flying eyeball holding a skull at its centre, symbols which are very representative of Gryphon's art.

A first printing of this poster, it is one of the most desirable pieces of 1960s rock art (est. $1,500-2,000, sold for $6,250) Additional highlights from the November auction included a pair of George Reeves signed photographs in character as "Superman" (est. $800-1,200, sold for $6,000); a selection of personal items from Bing Crosby led by a silver horseshoe money clip (est. $2,000-3,000, sold for $3,500) and a pair of Sammy Davis Jr.-owned Bally dark brown woven leather boots (est. $300-400, sold for $1,375), among others. NOTES FOR EDITORS Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale.

In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to Whitney Houston clothes, jewelry auctioned - CNN.com Whitney Houston clothes, jewelry auctioned By Alan Duke, CNN Updated 12:32 PM ET, Mon April 2, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. A collection of dresses worn by Whitney Houston stands on display Friday ahead of an auction in Beverly Hills, California.

Story highlights A bustier with elaborate beading, rhinestones and pearls worn by Houston brings $19,200 Houston lost most of the items at a 2007 court-ordered auction to settle a storage debt Charlie Chaplin's bowler hat and bamboo cane are up for auction Sunday A coat worn by Clark Gable in "Gone With the Wind" sells for $57,600 Bidders paid a total of $80,000 for clothes and jewelry once owned by Whitney Houston in a Beverly Hills auction that took place Saturday just blocks from where the singer died seven weeks ago. Julien's "Hollywood Legends" auction also includes Charlie Chaplin's famous bowler hat and bamboo cane and a coat worn by Clark Gable in "Gone With the Wind." Five dresses and three ensembles from Houston's wardrobe were originally sold in a 2007 auction ordered by a judge to settle a storage debt Houston owed to a New Jersey company. A bustier embellished with elaborate beading, rhinestones and pearls brought $19,200 in bidding Saturday, according to the auction website.

Houston wore it onstage during concerts, but lost it in the storage auction, according to Julien's. The grey velvet gown Houston wore when she attended the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party with then-husband Bobby Brown in 1996 sold for $11,520. She drowned in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton just hours before she was to attend this year's Clive Davis party in the same hotel. Two sets of earrings and a vest worn in her 1992 movie "The Bodyguard" sold for a total of $8,500, the company said. The seller got these items from the film's set designer, not the court-ordered auction, the company said. A Clark Gable fan paid $57,600 for a jacket the actor wore as Rhett Butler in the 1939 classic "Gone With the Wind." The black and white wool herringbone jacket included a hand-inscribed tag that read "Clark Gable" and "5-9-39." A highlight of Sunday's auction was a black felt bowler that Charlie Chaplin wore when portraying his "Little Tramp" film character.

The auction house said that its "distressed and repaired condition" indicates that it "survived the rigors of the high-energy environment" of Chaplin's filmmaking. The website placed its value at between $30,000 and $40,000. Chaplin's metal-tipped bamboo cane, also a trademark of the "Little Tramp," is valued between $20,000 and $30,000. Chaplin gave these two items to a couple who maintained his Swiss villa, according to the company. CHARLIE CHAPLIN HAT AND CANE SELL FOR $62,500 CHARLIE CHAPLIN HAT AND CANE SELL FOR $62, 500 By Culturekiosque Staff LOS ANGELES, 20 NOVEMBER 2012  In a Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia auction on 18 November in Los Angeles collectors bid for a wide variety of items related to Hollywood, Rock & Roll and Animation Art.

Highlights included pieces connected to Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Frank Sinatra, Charles Schulzs Peanuts, Bugs Bunny, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bing Crosby. Leading the sale was Charlie Chaplins trademark bowler hat and cane (est. $40,000-60,000, sold for $62,500). As legend has it, the famous origins of the Tramp persona were concocted almost spontaneously in a dressing room at Keystone Studio right here in Hollywood - one rainy afternoon nearly 100 years ago. Chaplin created an inspiring ensemble of contrasts: he borrowed Fatty Arbuckles voluminous trousers, Charles Averys tiny jacket, Ford Sterlings size 14 shoes (which he was obliged to wear on the wrong feet to keep them falling off), a too-small derby belonging to Arbuckles father-in-law, and a mustache intended for Mack Swains use, which he trimmed to toothbrush size.

Also of note was a handwritten letter by John Lennon with a nude drawing of him and Yoko sent to Ralph Ginzburg, publisher of Avant Garde Magazine regarding the infamous and controversial "Two Virgins" album cover (est. $18,000-22,000, sold for $25,000). Within the animation section of the auction was an early Charles Schulz Peanuts daily, dated 1966, featuring a classic image of Snoopy as the Red Baron (est. $10,000-15,000, sold for $28,750); a Charles Schulz Peanuts daily, dated 1977, displaying a classic image of Snoopy holding his dog bowl to his ear, listening for the sound of a restaurant (est.

$ 7,000-10,000, sold for $11,875); a Friz Freleng celluloid from the Academy Award® nominated Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt, 1940s, depicting Elmer Fudd dressed as Hiawatha setting the fire under the cauldron that Bugs Bunny is bathing in (est. $800-1,200, sold for $20,000) and property from the celebrated commercial artist, Disney animator, caricature artist and director, Thornton Hee, known affectionately as "T. Hee." Highlights connected to Marilyn Monroe included a large photograph archive, comprising film stills, wardrobe and publicity images of the star (est. $15,000-20,000, sold for $21,250); a watercolor on paper costume design by Rose Loomis for Monroe in the film Niagara, 1953 (est. $300-400, sold for $ 6,000) and a signed photograph of the star wearing a bathing suit (est.

$3,000-5,000, sold for $4,000). As well, a group of paintings by singer, actor and entertainer Frank Sinatra was prominently featured within the summer auction. Sinatra began painting in the 1970s, focusing primarily on clowns. He later developed his own style, shifting from representational canvases to abstract art. Works of note by Sinatra included a colorful abstract from 1971 (est. $3,000-5,000, sold for $10,625); a square, 30 inch abstract painting (est. $5,000-7,000, sold for $9,375) and a large abstract painting (est. $5,000-7,000, sold for $6,875). Each painting is signed or initialed by the artist. Items of note from the rock & roll section of the sale included a poster advertising a Jefferson Airplane performance at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco from 1966 (est.

$1,000-1,500, sold for $6,000); a first printing of a "Pinnacle" concert poster designed by John Van Hamersveld for Jimi Hendrix 's February 10, 1968 concert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles (est. $1,500-2,000, sold for $6,000) and an iconic "Flying Eyeball" concert poster designed by Rick Griffin for a February 1968 concert in San Francisco with Hendrix, John Mayall, The Bluebreakers and Albert King at The Fillmore and Winterland. The poster depicts a fiery hole with a flying eyeball holding a skull at its center, symbols which are very representative of Griffin's art. A first printing of this poster, it is one of the most desirable pieces of 1960s rock art (est.

$1,500-2,000, sold for $6,250) Additional highlights from the November auction included a costume hat from Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, 1925, one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's first hit films (est. $500-800, sold for $6,250); a pair of George Reeves signed photographs in character as "Superman" (est. $800-1,200, sold for $6,000); a selection of personal items from Bing Crosby led by a silver horseshoe money clip (est. $2,000-3,000, sold for $3,500) and a pair of Sammy Davis Jr.-owned Bally dark brown woven leather boots (est. $300-400, sold for $1,375), among others.

Charlie Chaplin hat and cane sell for US$62,500 in LA - The China Post Charlie Chaplin hat and cane sell for US$62,500 in LA AFP November 20, 2012, 12:07 am TWN SHARE A+ LOS ANGELES--Charlie Chaplin's iconic bowler hat and cane went under the hammer in Los Angeles as part of an auction which also included a John Lennon nude drawing of himself and Yoko Ono. The hat and cane, trademark of Chaplin's Little Tramp character, are in "remarkable condition" and sold for US$62,500 at the sale by auction house Bonhams on Sunday. Legend has it that Chaplin came up with the tramp persona and wardrobe spontaneously one rainy afternoon in February 1914, seizing various wardrobe items in a communal male dressing room at a Hollywood studio. These included baggy trousers from Fatty Arbuckle, size 14 shoes which he had to wear on the wrong feet to keep them from falling off, the hat belonging to Arbuckle's father-in-law, and a mustache intended for another actor.

The 32-inch (81-centimeter) bamboo cane is inscribed "CCLT 36" in black ink, a reference to the Little Tramp, Chaplin's signature character. The Lennon drawing sold for US$25,000. SHARE Charlie Chaplin hat and cane net more than $62,000 - Los Angeles - Muscat Daily Charlie Chaplin hat and cane net more than $62,000 AFP November 19, 2012 Los Angeles - Charlie Chaplin's iconic bowler hat and cane were auctioned off for $62,500 this weekend, as part of an auction which also includes a John Lennon nude drawing of himself and Yoko Ono. The hat and cane, trademark of Chaplin's Little Tramp character, were in "remarkable condition" and had been estimated to go for between $40,000 and $60,000 at the sale by auction house Bonhams on Sunday. But when it went under the hammer, the sale price hit $62,500 the auctioneers said.

Legend has it that Chaplin came up with the tramp persona and wardrobe spontaneously one rainy afternoon in February 1914, seizing various wardrobe items in a communal male dressing room at a Hollywood studio. These included baggy trousers from actor Fatty Arbuckle, size 14 shoes which he had to wear on the wrong feet to keep them from falling off, the hat belonging to Arbuckle's father-in-law, and a mustache intended for another actor. The 32-inch (81-centimeter) bamboo cane is inscribed "CCLT 36" in black ink, a reference to the Little Tramp, Chaplin's signature character. Other items sold Sunday include a handwritten letter by Beatle John Lennon with a nude drawing of himself and his wife Yoko Ono, sent to an avant-garde magazine publisher in connection with the controversial 1968 "Two Virgins" nude album cover. The letter went for $25,000. Also auctioned: a collection of original photographs of Marilyn Monroe that went for $21,250, and three signed, abstract original oil paintings by crooner Frank Sinatra, the most valuable auctioned for $10,625.

Charlie Chaplin hat, cane and other Hollywood memorabilia to go under the hammer Contact Charlie Chaplin hat, cane and other Hollywood memorabilia to go under the hammer A Charlie Parker Buescher Aristocrat E-flat alto saxophone, estimated between $22,000 and $26,000 is dusted before being placed on display during a press preview at auction house Bonham's in Hollywood, California, on November 15, 2012, where Charlie Chaplin's iconic bowler hat and cane are to go under the hammer in this weekend as part of an auction which also includes the John Lennon nude drawing of himself and Yoko Ono, part of the Lennon lot estomated between $18,000 and $22,000 , among memorabilia from other artists. The hat and cane trademark of Chaplin's Little Tramp character are in "remarkable condition" and are estimated to go for between $40,000 and $60,000 at the sale by auction house Bonhams on Sunday November 18. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN.

LOS ANGELES (AFP).- Charlie Chaplin's iconic bowler hat and cane are to go under the hammer in Los Angeles this weekend, as part of an auction which also includes a John Lennon nude drawing of himself and Yoko Ono. The hat and cane, trademark of Chaplin's Little Tramp character, are in "remarkable condition" and are estimated to go for between $40,000 and $60,000 at the sale by auction house Bonhams on Sunday. Legend has it that Chaplin came up with the tramp persona and wardrobe spontaneously one rainy afternoon in February 1914, seizing various wardrobe items in a communal male dressing room at a Hollywood studio. These included baggy trousers from Fatty Arbuckle, size 14 shoes which he had to wear on the wrong feet to keep them falling off, the hat belonging to Arbuckle's father-in-law, and a mustache intended for another actor. The 32-inch (81-centimeter) bamboo cane is inscribed "CCLT 36" in black ink, a reference to the Little Tramp, Chaplin's signature character.

Other items on sale include a handwritten letter by Lennon with a nude drawing of himself and Yoko, sent to an avant-garde magazine publisher in connection with the controversial 1968 "Two Virgins" album cover. The letter is estimated to go for between $18,000 and $22,000, while several other Beatles-related items are also up for sale, including a set of autographs of the four band members before a 1964 Hollywood Bowl show ($4,500 to $6,500). A saxophone which once belonged to jazz legend Charlie Parker has a reserve price of $22,000 to $26,000. Also on sale are various items related to Marilyn Monroe and three signed, abstract original oil paintings by crooner Frank Sinatra.

mt/sg ï¿½ 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse Today's News Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture - History of hats Latest issue History of hats From the bowler to the boater and the flat cap to the fascinator, the British love of hats is in a league of its own with traditions that date back centuries. We trace the nation’s love affair with headwear and the history of hats. In the 18th century Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (played by Keira Knightley in the film The Duchess pictured here) was as well known for setting trends © AF archive/Alamy Britain is a nation of hat wearers, of that there is no doubt. From the Artful Dodger’s battered top hat to Winston Churchill’s homburg, the history of the country can be told through the hats that have graced the heads of some of our most famous luminaries. Traditionally hats are a very loaded item and have almost totemic power in their ability to signify class, gender, occupation and a myriad of other stations.

Even the protocol has symbolic value; from doffing your hat to launching mortar boards in the air, hats have long been associated with rituals and practices stretching back into the mists of time. With the Royal Wedding throwing British millinery back into the spotlight the time is ripe to take a tour of Britain’s heritage through its headwear. The humble flat cap can be traced back to medieval England and was even the subject of Tudor sumptuary laws. In an attempt to spur on the wool trade an Act of Parliament was instituted in 1571 decreeing that all males over six years old (except for the nobility) had to wear a wool cap on Sundays and holidays, with a penalty of a fine if they refused. The non-aristocratic association stuck and the flat cap became an icon of working class culture in the 19th and 20th centuries. Charlie Chaplin in his trademark bowler hat © Photos 12 / Alamy Ask anyone you meet which hat most coherently symbolises Britain and the answer is clear: the bowler. As with so many of our traditions, it was born in the Victorian age.

The bowler was the brainchild of Lock and Co who has been fitting hats on royal heads since 1676. Its store on St James Street in Mayfair is a cornucopia of millinery apparatus and artefacts, from a hat owned by Wellington to Victorian instruments for measuring and drawing your head (still in working order). In 1849 Lock and Co commissioned Thomas and William Bowler to create a hardwearing hat for a Norfolk farmer, with the purpose of protecting gamekeepers’ heads from tree branches as they rode around country estates. The practicality and strength of the hat caught on, and before long no businessman was fully dressed without one. The hat was a trademark of a number of characters, from John Steed in The Avengers to Liza Minnelli in Cabaret, but no one has truly made the bowler their own quite like Charlie Chaplin. The Little Tramp, icon of silent-era comedy, certainly had a penchant for accessories, so much so that one of his famous bowlers and a cane was sold last November for $62,500!

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson as drawn by Sidney Paget for The Strand Magazine © Alamy Archaeologist and heritage interpreter Sally Pointer specialises in reconstructing and creating historical hats. When asked about her favourite she comes down in favour of yet another classic: the deerstalker. It may be crystalised in the popular imagination as the hat of choice of Sherlock Holmes, but it’s interesting to n ote that there is not a single mention of him donning a deerstalker in any works by Arthur Conan Doyle. The deerstalker was a vital aspect of the Victorian gentleman’s hunting ensemble, worn on country estates but not in the city, and as such it certainly would not have featured in Holmes day to day life around Baker Street. The association came about when illustrator (and contemporary of Doyle) Sidney Paget gave Holmes both a deerstalker and Inverness cape for out of town adventures such as The Boscombe Valley Mystery. The connection stuck and an icon was born, albeit an inaccurate one. But for Sally Pointer this is all part of its charm: “the willingness on our part to accept a little eccentricity in an overall look fits the way the British approach hats perfectly.” The Edwardian era was a golden age of millinery.

Ornamentation became ever more elaborate, with a cornucopia of flowers, birds, lace, ribbons, bows, feathers and artificial fruit regularly gracing heads in an opulent display of conspicuous consumption. Hatpins were essential to secure these creations to the head. The lengthy pins were useful for discouraging dangerous advances on the street, so much so that laws were proposed to ban this secret weapon in many cities around the world. Hats were still a necessity in public in Edwardian Britain, the Suffragettes even remained beautifully behatted when chained to railings and campaigning for the right to vote. Jackie St Clair attends the first day of Royal Ascot in Berkshire © Press Association But the hat hasn’t always been a symbol of propriety. Britain’s rich street style and subcultural heritage has often seen the hat become somewhat subversive. Anthropologist Ted Polhemus cites the pork pie hat and the Mod subculture as the perfect example. Originating in the mid-19th century, the pork pie hat (named for its resemblance to the dish) was the hat of choice for many well-dressed Victorian city dwellers, but morphed into a key element of London street style a century later.

Influenced by the Rude Boy culture from Jamaica – who in turn were influenced by the trilbies and pork pies of American gangster movies – the pork pie continued to evolve and became a defining look of the ska and rocksteady clubs of Two Tone, made famous by Jerry Dammers, founder of The Specials. Equally, not wearing a hat was seen as an act of rebellion. Polhemus recounts BBC footage of bare-headed Teddy Boys stealing a man’s hat on the street which visualised the moral panic that the Teds inspired. During the 1940s the headscarf turban was popular for women working in factories, to stop long Veronica Lake-style hair from getting caught in machinery. The turban of the ‘Land Girl’ symbolised the war effort, patriotism and utility, while throughout the 50s hats became an essential aspect of French couture houses, keen to re-establish their pre-eminence on the fashion stage. By the 1960s, though, the rise of car ownership and the burgeoning Youthquake ensured that hats were no longer needed either as protection from the weather or as a demarcation of class.

The Duchess of Cambridge meets guests at Buckingham Palace in a pale pink creation by Jane Corbett © Press Association There has been a renaissance in hat wearing in the 21st century, thanks to a welcome boost in 2011 when the Royal Wedding coincided with the 300th anniversary of the races at Ascot, ensuring a vintage year for hats. Rachel Trevor-Morgan, milliner to The Queen since 2006, acknowledges the benefit of the Royal Wedding for the whole British millinery trade. A member of The Worshipful Company of Feltmakers, Rachel has created hats for such memorable occasions as The Queen’s 80th birthday Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s as well as her Diamond Wedding celebration. Rachel cites the Royal Family, and the Duchess of Cambridge in particular, as crucial for the comeback of millinery, describing her as a “wonderful ambassador for hat wearing for the next generation.” Meanwhile, Stockport Hat Works Museum – the only museum in the country dedicated to hats and hat making – is more popular than ever, and staff have noticed a distinct increase in headgear on their visitors.

With hats undoubtedly in the ascendent, what marks Britain out on the world stage is the sheer number of hats we can call our own. When France has the beret, Spain has the Cordobés and Mexico has the sombrero as defining features, why do we have so many? Historian Matthew Ward professes an obsession with hats ranging from medieval liripipes to Georgian cocked hats, and believes that the variety of headgear in Britain reflects our multicultural background, with the legacy of such diversity ensuring Britain doesn’t have a single national form of dress, let alone a national hat, with our headgear reflecting this rich cultural heritage. A new breed of 21st-century hat-makers has picked up the millinery mantle and is succinctly making it their own. One of the shining stars is Piers Atkinson, whose background with Zandra Rhodes gave him an appreciation of colour and kitsch that has been featured everywhere from Italian Vogue to Tatler. His surreal creations – giant cherries being a best seller – have graced the heads of everyone from Kate Moss to Dame Shirley Bassey who wore one of his hats to Ascot. Atkinson uses established techniques such as wood blocking and hand sewing to create contemporary pieces that have a basis in tradition.

Fred Butler is an accessories designer who has made hand-crafted pieces for the likes of Björk and Lady Gaga. Taking the art of adorning the head to a new level, she shows her collections at London Fashion Week and was nominated for UK Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the year. With hat making in her blood (her grandmother was a milliner) she cites the financial climate as the motivating force behind increase in popularity, claiming “sales of red lipstick inflate in eras of economic downturn and it’s the same for accessories, especially those that frame the face.” Noel Stewart’s hats can be found on the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and on the heads of a new generation of hat wearers that includes Keira Knightley and Lily Allen. Stewart celebrates the addition of hats to a modern wardrobe, declaring that hat wearing gives a sense of freedom and individuality. This spirit of experimentation is the lifeblood of Britain’s sartorial history, and a heady combination of heritage techniques and eccentric style have found their way into our 21st-century wardrobes. Hats off to that. Written by Britain Magazine // 13th June 2013

Question: Whose trademark wardrobe included a bowler hat and cane?
Answer: Charlie Chaplin