What is this hat?

[jerryeberg]

Hello,
I came across this pic online the other day (searching for young captains, this guy is about 21), and I love his hat! Does anyone know what style it is and where I can get one? It looks like a coachman's hat as sold by Blockade Runner, but I'm not sure...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8026096@N04/1887078333/

Thanks for your help.

[FloridaConfederate]

Who is the hat man ?

Send pic to Tim Bender.

No worries from there.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

It appears to me to be a "crushed" or "telescoped" derby or bowler.
(I wear one myself, at times.)

CHS

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

It is indeed a shaped low crowned bowler. You can take a basic bowler and steam it into that shape, but without professional blocks, you'll have a hard time obtaining that upward tilt around the brim. Dirty Billy has made several like that and has the proper tools for the job. Your best bet is to get it at an event, but if you mail order, send the picture of exactly what you want and he can make it for you.

[Slickrick214]

Talking about strange hats I would like to know about this hat:

1861 Whipple Hat, New England States Issue

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/Slickrick214/whipple.jpg

I saw it on Dirty Billys but I couldn't find anything else out about it. I never heard of it before and never saw any re-enactors wear it.

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Ah Yes, Whipple's Patent Hat, invented by J.F. Whipple of New York. It was actually quite popular the first few months of the war in some Federal units, but it quickly lost favor due to its impracticality. Imagine having to store that in your knapsack? Berdan's Sharpshooters were initially issued these until they opted for the forage cap.

[jthlmnn]

Try these. Not a lot of info, but a start.

http://www.historicalartprints.com/hap/collection/viewitem.jsp?id=37

http://www.7thsouthcarolina.com/fourth.html

[Slickrick214]

After reading more about it I can see why they would switch to the forage cap. Its smaller, more flexible and easier to store then the whipple. Not to mention the whipple is down right ugly.:lol:

[Poor Private]

Almost kinda sorta looks like a keystone cop hat. Or even a precuser to the old steel pot of WWII.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

"Please don't squeeze the.... crown." -Mr. Whipple

CHS

[tompritchett]

"Please don't squeeze the.... crown." -Mr. Whipple

The next question will be how many of the readers here are old enough to remember which set of commercials you are parodying.

[Pete K]

OOOOHHHH! OOOOHH! Mr. Kotteeer!! OOOOH OOOOHH OOOOHHH
Pick me!

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

Indeed...
Ah, the arcane, mysterious, and obscure references to worthless Esoterica and Pop Culture (1964-1985).
;) :)

CHS
**** Wilson died of natural causes on November 19, 2007, at the age of 91

[tompritchett]

**** Wilson died of natural causes on November 19, 2007, at the age of 91

I well remember reading about it. And I still use the brand that he helped make so famous.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

Sorry, I forgot about the filter...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Michael1787/whipplex-large.jpg

(The longest running ad campaign ever. I am not sure which is cornier though, Mr. Whipple or the current Charmin bears... ;) :) )

CHS
Do bears use Charmin in the woods?

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

I was beginning to think the current bear ads were the dirtiest thing on television since Mrs. Cleaver said, "gee Ward, I think you were a little hard on the Beaver". It is pretty clever with the new take on the old saying "does a bear **** in the woods".

[jerryeberg]

Oh old people, you guys crack me up; HA HA! :lol:
Dude, the Whipple hat is awesome! I think I read in my "Fighting Men of the Civil War" that units who wore that hat were hoping to look more like the revolutionary soldiers than the modernistic kepi or bummer.

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

According to Whipple's own writings, he was inspired by hats of outdoorsmen and woodsmen of the 1840's an 50's whose broad hats offered sun and rain protection and often had fold down neck capes. He took those details, crossed them with military details such as a leather visor, and created this functional, if not esthetically pleasing hat. I remember talking to Bill "Dirty Billy" Wickham about this hat a few months ago, and he said he doesn't sell too many to reenactors, but alot to specialty collectors.

[sbl]

http://www.7thsouthcarolina.com/images/morningdetail.jpg

This image is mistaken for pith helmets...but it's the Whipple Hat.

We were thinking of getting them when I was in the 5th New Hampshire. We thought some more...

[sbl]

http://www.acwtoysoldiers.com/images/soldiers/USA_INF_NH_2ndNH.jpg

[Rob Weaver]

No, no ,no I refuse. I will not wear that stupid looking hat!!!!! I will gladly wear five dress hats piled one on top of another while performing bayonet exercise before I let anyone who knows me see me in one of those inverted chamber pots! :D

[Slickrick214]

http://www.acwtoysoldiers.com/images/soldiers/USA_INF_NH_2ndNH.jpg

Civil War Nazi's anyone?? I couldn't help it they look just like Germans with those hats. They look just like the coal bucket Stahlhelm helmet worn by the Germans during WWII.

[colorsgt26nc]

http://www.7thsouthcarolina.com/images/morningdetail.jpg


With that many Sherlock Holmeses, the South didn't stand a chance. How many Watsons were there?

[Rob Weaver]

"these blast points... too accurate for Sand People. Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise"

[tompritchett]

Civil War Nazi's anyone?? I couldn't help it they look just like Germans with those hats. They look just like the coal bucket Stahlhelm helmet worn by the Germans during WWII.

To me they look like dead ringers for the helmets worn by the stormtroopers in the Star Wars movies.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

"Civil War Nazi's anyone?? I couldn't help it they look just like Germans with those hats. They look just like the coal bucket Stahlhelm helmet worn by the Germans during WWII."

And WWI.
Plus, look what American soldiers are now wearing. ;)

Hmmmm. Thanks. I did not know New Hampshire had a regiment of Sherlock Holmes impersonators... ;)

CHS