What is a Flemish beaver hat?

A beaver hat is a hat made from felted beaver fur. Used winter coats worn by Native Americans were actually a prized commodity for hat making because their wear helped prepare the skins; separating out the coarser hairs from the pelts.

How much is a beaver hat worth?

Roram hats (also called plated) were $2.00 to $3.25, and were made with bodies of cheaper felt, then coated with beaver fur….Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Why is beaver fur hats good?

Animal fur has tiny, microscopic “teeth” which lock together when heat and moisture are applied. Beaver fur was superior for hat making because these spines are prominent on its inner wool. Much like modern Velcro, this fur characteristic was exploited in the creation of felt.

When did beaver hats go out of fashion?

By the late 17th century, the beaver was virtually extinct in Europe due to the high demand for beaver felt top hats. An alternate source of supply was found in what is now North America.

Is beaver fur still used?

Between 1853 and 1877, the Hudson Bay Company sold almost three million beaver pelts to England. In Alaska today, trappers still harvest these furs. They are highly prized for cold weather coats and hats. Many trappers don’t sell fur but keep the fur they harvest for personal use.

What does 5X beaver hat mean?

X Factor Hat Rating was originally determined by the density and shape of the material, and ranged in grade from a low of 1X to a high of 10X. Hats made of material rated below 5X generally contained a poorer grade of fur and little or no beaver fur. A 10X hat was made of 100% beaver fur.

Why do cowboy hats cost so much?

Again the price depends on the quality behind the wool being used in the hat. Your fur blend hats will typically start around $120 and can reach as high as a couple thousand dollars. The more pure the fur the higher the cost. You’ll know that it’s a nice hat when you touch the brim on these, they just feel expensive.

What does 20x beaver mean?

Does anyone know what the X’s actually mean when it comes to cowboy hat quality? Well, you’re about to! The X’s stand for the amount of beaver that is in a hat. The more beaver fur that’s in the hat, the better a hat it is, and the more X’s it is labeled with.

Are beaver hats waterproof?

Beaver wool was removed from the pelt, processed into felt, and then moulded and shaped into a hat. The finished product was not only waterproof but resilient.

How much is a tanned beaver hide worth?

Use your own large beaver tails to have wallets or hat bills made. Beaver tails are $29.00 to tan, tails should be skinned in two pieces, top and bottom….Standard Tanning.

What is beaver hide used for?

Stretched pelt (60 pelts per pack) Beaver fur was used to make felt hats. Beavers do not hibernate, so their fur gets very thick in the winter to keep them warm. Most of the trapping for beaver was done in the winter. After it was killed, the beaver was skinned and its hide stretched on a willow frame.

What kind of fur was a beaver hat made out of?

A beaver hat is a hat made from felted beaver fur. They were fashionable across much of Europe during the period 1550–1850 because the soft yet resilient material could be easily combed to make a variety of hat shapes (including the familiar top hat).

Why are beaver hats made with Love, Sweat and blood?

The precision in which our hats are made with is not of anything technical, but LOVE. We have a saying in our atelier about every hat made here: our hats are made with LOVE, SWEAT, and BLOOD. Love because it is a craft we cherish.

Is the W & W beaver fur hat last a lifetime?

With an admirable amount of strength and durability, your W&W Beaver Fur Felt Hat will last you a lifetime. A hat is one of the most personal pieces of clothing/accessories that one can wear, so why not invest in something that will fit no other head but yours?

When did people stop wearing the beaver hat?

In addition, beaver hats were made in various styles as a matter of military status: the Army shako (1837). The popularity of the beaver hat declined in the early/mid-19th century as silk hats became more fashionable across Europe. A beaver felt hat. ^ Wallace-Wells, D. “Puritan Inc.” The New Republic, 2010. ^ Picken, Mary Brooks (1999).