Folk Art Hat Racks and Stands

A tall 19th century french ebonised hat stand, shop display The stand came from a milliners’ shop in Paris, it has a turned upright column set on a 3 footed base with a flat top r...

Impressive tree-form coat / hat rack, circa 1920s, composed of ebonized dry wood of an actual tree (likely cherry). Fitted to a carved wood base. Rich ebony color and marvelous textu...

Large vintage brass horse head coat hat towel rack bar. Wall coat rack with brass horse bust. A rare find, Mid Century equestrian coat rack with h...

A vintage taxidermy hat rack offers antlered deer mounted on shield shape oak wall plate with central mirror and hoof hat or coat hooks, plaque reads "The Clearfield Taxidermy Co., T...

A vintage taxidermy hat rack offers antlered deer wall mount on shield shape oak plate with central mirror and hoof hat or coat hooks, circa 1940. M...

Folk Art, hand carved hat mold, hat form of the hat-making company in Esperaza France. This important hat company was situated in the Aude Valley in France. Because of the total...

Also known as a "hat block" these forms were used by milliners to shape a cowboy hat by heating the beaver pelt up against the mold and pounding with a wooden mallet. John Stetson used this process in making the first cowboy hat in the 1860s in his manufacturing plant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These wooded molds were hand carved rather than turned on a lathe so that different and unique styles could be created. As John Stetson said after traveling extensively across the western United States "a cowboy hat kept the sun out of your eyes and off your neck. It was like an umbrella. It gave you a bucket (the crown) to water your horse, and a cup (the brim) to water yourself. It made a hell of a fan, which you need sometimes for a fire, but more often to shunt cows this direction or that". That pretty much sums up the attributes of a cowboy hat. I purchased a "Stetson" collection years ago from a collector very near Philadelphia, so this could very well be a Stetson hat mold. I know of no other millineries in the late 1800s who were making western hats. Wooden hat blocks are to be found, but it is rare to find a western hat mold, especially with the two pieces together, the brim and the head body and crown. They would have become separated at some point in time over the years. My example is being held together by brass "L" brackets which makes a great "Stand alone": display, or can be hung on the wall to accommodate hanging a cowboy hat. Markings on the base are: 4 1/4 7 3/8 1931 and H.G. (see image). "7 3/8" probably suggests the hat size and "1931" probably suggests the style or inventory number; "H.G." suggests, perhaps, the actual name of the style. This hat mold is in very good and all original condition, very sturdy, and makes a nice presentation. Dimensions: (overall) 13" long x 11" wide x 7" high. I have included a Christmas, Santa Claus Stetson salesman sample box...

Impressive tree-form coat / hat rack, circa 1920s, composed of stained dry wood of an actual tree (likely cherry). Fitted to a carved wood base with carved decorative accents. Rich c...

Set of 4 Decorative Blue Powder-Coated Cast Iron Shoe-shine Stands