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). [1] Smaller hats made of beaver were sometimes called beaverkins, [2] as in Thomas Carlyle's ...

During the eighteenth century, the changing technology of felt production and the growing demand for felt hats were met by attempts to increase the supply of furs, especially the supply of beaver pelts.

In the last quarter of the seventeenth century, the influx of beaver furs from the new world increased the sheer number of beaver hats that could be made, due the increased supply of raw material. Hats made exclusively from beaver wool, or …

The tremendous demand for these hats persisted through the 18th and early 19th centuries, leading to an explosive growth in the fur trade. The establishment of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670 was primarily driven by the quest for raw materials, specifically beaver fur.

Mar 19, 2025 · Beaver hats were made in various styles as a matter of civil status: the clerical (18th century). In addition, beaver hats were made in various styles as a matter of military status: the Army shako (1837). [8] The popularity of the beaver hat declined in the early/mid-19th century as silk hats became more fashionable across Europe.

Sep 2, 2015 · Men's hats could be cocked, that is, folded, on one, two, or three sides. The preferred material for tri-corn hats was beaver felt. This gentleman's straw hat is cocked on one side.

Jan 7, 2024 · Notes on cocked hats and tricorn hats from the 18th century, including extant examples.

Despite competition from lower quality hats, hats created from other materials, and wigs, the beaver hat maintained its popularity through the 18th century and into the 19th, when beaver populations in North America finally experienced the same fate as the near extinct beaver populations of Europe.

Jun 17, 2011 · The price a beaver pelt brought rose steadily over the 18th century, progressing from around 5 shillings to about a Guinea by the year 1800, when the animals had become nearly extinct. John Jacob Astor controlled the largest American fur trading company.

A Beaver Hat is a hat made from felted beaver fur which were fashionable in Europe from 1550 to 1850. Felted beaver fur is soft yet resilient and can be easily combed to make a variety of hat shapes including the top hat .