82/50/1-2

Hat block in two parts, made of sycamore. Stamped '766'. Made for Mrs. Atkins whose husband was a judge living near Chieveley, Berkshire.
This is a hat block in two parts, made of sycamore. It was used as a model to make hats. The larger of the two parts is oval shaped and was used for the brim, while the smaller part was used for the crown of the hat. Both parts are stamped with the number '766'. The hat block was made for Mrs. Marten Atkins whose husband was a judge living near Chieveley, Berkshire. She was a customer at Madam Dabath's, a business based in Newbury, Berkshire, which was started before the First World War by three maiden ladies. Their names were Miss Davies, Miss Bailey and Miss Smith, and they combined their names to give the name of the business, 'Dabath'. The block was given to the donor by a milliner who started work in the workroom at Madam Dabath's in 1923. It was probably made circa 1900. Mrs Marten Atkins wore small, dainty hats, trimmed with flowers and ribbons and perched forward on the head. The milliner has since used the block to make hats for herself. The recess cut in the block would allow for the bun of hair. The foundation of a hat was made of spartra, an Italian material of fine basket work on a kind of lint. This was moulded over the block to the required style and allowed to dry. The crown and brim were made separately and subsequently stitched together. Buckram is now used as spartra was no longer available after the First World War.

1 hat block: sycamore wood; good condition.

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: Hat block // Accession number: 82/50/1-2 // Classification: CRAFTS // Negative number: 60/14416 // Acquisition method: Gift // Acquired from, date: [...] Harbard, [...], 12/82 // Store: Small objects // Condition: Good // Recorder, date: DJE, 16.12.82 // Description: Hat block in two parts made of sycamore. The larger part (82/50/1) is oval shaped, and clearly the mould for the brim. The smaller mould (82/50/2) is for the crown of the hat. // Both parts are stamped with the number '766'. // There is a recess cut in the rear of the larger block, which would allow for the bun of hair. // Dimensions: 82/50/1 - 30x25.5x16.5cms. // 82/50/2 - 18.3x14.5x13cms. // Associated information: This hat block was made for Mrs Marten Atkins, whose husband was a judge living at Chieveley. She was a customer at "Madam Dabath's", a Newbury business started before 1914 by 3 maiden ladies, Miss Davies, Miss Bailey, and Miss Smith. The block was made c.1900. // Before 1914, the foundation of a hat was made of spartra, an Italian material of fine basket work on a kind of lint. This was moulded over the block to the required style, allowed to dry, the crown and brim being made separately and subsequently stitched together. // References: Correspondence. [page break] [pencil sketch]', Letter, Harbard to MERL, 30 November 1982 – 'Dear Mr Brigden, // I enclose a few notes about the hat block which we brought in to the Museum a few weeks ago and I am sorry to have been so long about it. Most of the information I was given about the business in Newbury but if there is anything more about the block which you wish to know, I can refer back to the milliner who gave it to me. // Yours truly, // [...] Harbard.', Miscellaneous note by Harbard – 'Hat Block numbered 776 // This hat block was made for Mrs. Marten Atkins whose husband was a judge living near Chieveley. She was a customer at Madam Dabath's, an old Newbury business started before the 1st World War by three maiden ladies, (Miss Davies, Miss Bailey and Miss Smith, hence the name Dabath). The block was given to me by a milliner who went to work in the workroom at Madam Dabath's in 1923. It must have been made about the turn of the century for Mrs Marten Atkins who wore small dainty hats, trimmed with flowers and ribbons and perched forward on the head. The recess cut in the block would allow for the bun of hair. // The foundation of a hat was made of spartra, an Italian material of fine basket work on a kind of lint. This was moulded over the block to the required style, allowed to dry, the crown and brim being made separately and subsequently stitched together. // The milliner has since used the block to make hats for herself. Buckram is now used, the Italian material not being available after the 1914-18 war.'

1900 - 1900

Sawn, Carved