Antique & Vintage Dress Gallery
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#6857 - c. 1940's Berger's,
Buffalo, New York Raspberry Felt Doll's ("Tilt") Hat with
Huge Bird Feather Wings and Netting! With Original Hat Box!
One of my faves! I don't think this hat was ever worn.
It's in pristine condition and the green net "streamers" down the
back aren't fully opened (I pulled them open just a tad for the
photo), but looks like they might have when new... scrunched up.
The color is a soft red or soft raspberry felt with pretty little
bow at front. Large bird wings look like the bird crash landed
into the hat! :) All covered with the green netting. As
you will see in the other photos, the back has a "tongue" to hold on
the back of the head along with a black band to hide under the hair
(unless you have plastic molded hair like my mannequin! I need to
name her, so I'm thinkin' Paulette. What do you think? Just
the first name that popped into my head when looking at her.)
Anyway... There is another very interesting thing that comes with
this hat (if you want it). The hat came in the original hat
black and pink hatbox with the Berger's name on top (L. L. Berger
was a high-end Buffalo Department store founded in 1905 and closed
in 1991). Now here comes the historic, but very touchy thing to
mention. There is a handwritten name of LEVY on the hatbox top
(which is fascinating to me, as that was my Jewish Grandparent's
last name!), but then also is written "Germany" with a symbol under.
I will not write the name of the symbol, and I have no idea why it's
on the box, but it is. Note: FYI, this symbol was originally
used by the Indians and Pennsylvania Dutch as a good luck symbol...
often facing left rather than right... which this is! But the
fact that this is a 1940s hat leads one to question the symbol and
the Jewish name on the hatbox. I'd love to know the history...
just for the sake of history. I always say, "If we whitewash
history, we learn nothing". Anyway, it's the hat you are
buying, and you can decide if you want the hatbox with it.
SOLD - but on
display in Museum Category for Research/Display
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