try the Hat museum folks?
_http://www.thehatmuseum.com/_ (http://www.thehatmuseum.com/) 
 
Barbara Hass, retired librarian
 
 
 
In a message dated 10/14/2010 9:47:34 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

 
Candace, 
I’m wondering if it  is some sort of vent? I’ve seen early grommet like 
hat inserts that advertised  a method of keeping your head cool, and allowing 
your noggin to “breathe” so  to speak. I’ve also seen a grommet with mesh 
placed in it for the same  purpose. 
I like the plume idea  though… 
Good  luck, 
Dan  Schoeneberg 
 
  
____________________________________
 
From:  Museum discussion list  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On  
Behalf Of Candace Perry
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 10:53  AM
To:  [log in to unmask]
Subject: question about a 19th century  high hat/top hat
I have encountered an odd silk  high hat in our collection – we have many 
of these, I’ve seen many, and this  one has stymied me. 
First of all, it’s a very small  head size.  I have been blessed with a 
large and generally empty skull  and it would just balance on the top of my 
head -. and not in a modish  Isabella Blow-type style.  Therefore, I’m assuming 
it’s a small woman’s  or man’s; maybe a young teenage male.  It has the 
typical curled/curved  brim, everything typical – however, it has a 
deliberately placed grommet or  eyelet in the center of the top of the crown.  Can 
anyone shed light on  what this was for – I can’t imagine one would stick a 
plume in there, which is  what I’d like to believe, as that is kind of fun and 
wacky.  I was  thinking maybe it was a woman’s riding hat, and veiling or 
netting was  attached through the hole, but that seemed weird  also. 
My dear volunteer wittily said it  was a place for the soul to escape (we 
doing funerary and ghostly things at  the moment) … 
Any  thoughts? 
Candace  Perry 
Curator   
Schwenkfelder  Library & Heritage Center 
Pennsburg,  PA
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