Hello everyone! It has been mighty cold these days, so as gift to everyone to stay motivated, let me give you a little sneak peek into the upcoming Collection of Collections Auction! It’s going to be an extravaganza of four collections packed into one day, but this week I’m here to talk about one collection in particular, and that’s the vintage band and hat boxes!
That’s right, this March we will be offering a hefty assortment of these colorful boxes, which came to us via the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. They decided to deaccession their collection of vintage hat and band boxes to raise funds for new acquisitions – which is exciting for us!
Hat boxes and band boxes have been around forever, some examples even going as far back as the 15th century; however, it wasn’t until the 19th century that hat boxes gained mainstream popularity. During this time, travel became easier and more commonplace. Since fashion decorum of the era dictated hats to be a part of everyday wear, it became a common need among the stylish masses (men included) to utilize hat boxes for keeping their headwear safe while also providing easy storage.
Often hats were packaged in thin cardboard boxes which were not intended for extended use; they were essentially just a courtesy for safe transport. Some other boxes were made of wood or metal for sturdy travel and stackable storage, becoming the object of satire in some publications due to their large sizes. Most boxes were either cylindrical or square, although some boxes were shaped to the hat; these fancier designs were viewed as status symbols to be displayed.
Whereas upper class ladies and gents may have indulged in wood or metal boxes, working class ladies (such as mill workers) would purchase the more affordable hat and band boxes made of thick cardboard, which would usually be decorated with block prints or wallpaper, adding to the box’s aesthetic appeal.
While attractive to consumers, there was some hidden danger lurking in the appeal of wallpapered boxes. As with most things in the 19th Century, seemingly harmless items were also quite dangerous. Green wallpaper often used arsenic, which would sometimes be used to make other colors such as blue, brown, and red – so err on the side of caution if you stumble upon an antique hat box in the wild!
Despite these apparent dangers, the popularity of those hat boxes lasted through the 1950’s. During this period, they took on a new look and utilized new materials. The addition of plastic windows was implemented to make viewing the contents easier, and fully plastic hat boxes made displaying your finest hats effortless.
By the end of the 1960s and 1970s, hats in general went out of fashion and were no longer considered mandatory daily wear. As such, band and hat boxes lost their necessity and their appeal to the mainstream public – but not everyone! If you’re a collector of vintage fashion and accessories, be sure to keep your eye out for our upcoming auction on March 18th!
