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This page provides photographs of a select group of hats from the Betty D. Eastin Collection. These hats were assessed by Otto Charles Thieme, former costume curator at the Cincinnati Art Museum and showcased in the 1995 "On Top of it All" exhibit at the Headley-Whitney Museum. All 43 hats listed on the Checklist of Exhibition in the tab "On Top of it All 1995 Exhibit Catalog" are posted on this page. The date of the hat, a brief description, donor information, and several donor interviews will also accompany the photograph.
Photo credit: M.S. Rezny Photography
Eastin Collection: Exhibit Hats
1. BERET
Accession Number: 95.1.3
Hat Date: late 1940s-early 1950s
Description: Green velour beret with gold pin and red ribbon.
Label: "Poques", Cincinnati.
Donor: Mrs. Billie Switzer of Lexington, Kentucky.
2. BERET
Accession Number: 95.1.3
Hat Date: 1950s
Description: Fur felt with velvet ribbon and rhinestone brooch.
Label: "Originals by Mr. Joseph's", New York.
Donor: Mrs. Elizabeth C. Haddock.
4. BOATER
Accession Number: 95.00.2
Hat Date: late 1930s - early 1940s
Description: Straw with velvet ribbon
Label: "Konx", Fifth Avenue, New York.
6. BOWLER
Accession Number: 75.14.12
Hat Date: 1911-15
Description: Felt and fur with feathers
Label: "L.P. Hollander & Co., New York."
Donor: Mrs. Elizabeth Izard
7. BRETON
Accession Number: 80.11.1
Hat Date: 1945
Description: Blue felt hat with white cotton pique trim and red plastic cherries. Words "Un Joly Chapau" stitched inside. Remade by Joly Pharis.
Label: "Un Joly Chapau"
Donor: Mrs. Rosemary Brooks of Lexington, Kentucky
Highlight from interview with Mrs. Brooks completed on April 28, 1995
Question: Do you remember the date of purchase of your favorite hat? Was it from a local department store or was it made by a local milliner?
Answer: "Joly Pharis' store, over a grocery store on West Broadway in Winchester. He was very talented."
9. CAPULET
Accession Number: 95.1.21
Hat Date: 1940s
Description: Rust colored velvet capulet with sea bead and bugle bead trim and a hat pin.
Donor: Mrs. Switzer of Lexington, Kentucky
Highlight from interview with Mrs. Switzer completed on April 19, 1995
Question: Do you remember any rules about when and where hats were to be worn and/or not worn?
Answer: "Always wore a hat to church. Also wore them to women's clubs, nice to get dolled-up!"
10. CARTWHEEL
Accession Number: 76.15.75
Hat Date: 1939
Description: Straw hat with small round crown and wide brim. Green grosgrain ribbon encircles the crown. Fabric flowers are attached to the brim. A green net covers entire hat.
Label: "Frances Adams/Meyer & Hinkle, Lexington, KY"
Donor: Mrs. Virginia Clark Hagan of Lexington, Kentucky
13. CASQUE
Accession Number: 95.3.5
Hat Date: 1960s
Description: Brown feather hat with multi-colored feathers on top.
Label: "Valerie Modes"
Donor: Mrs. Betty Haddock of Lexington, Kentucky
Highlight from interview with Mrs. Haddock completed on April 5, 1995
Question: What initially attracted you to hats?
Answer: "Never worried about the style, bought what I liked."
14. CASQUE
Accession Number: 95.1.7
Hat Date: 1964
Description: Curled green feathers with velvet ribbon
Label: "Christine Original", Park Avenue, New York
Donor: Mrs. Billie Switzer of Lexington, Kentucky
15. CLOCHE
Accession Number: 75.14.14
Hat Date: 1920s
Description: Straw with feathers and silk petals
Label: "L.P. Hollander Co.", Fifth Avenue at 46th Street, New York
Donor: Mrs. Elizabeth Izard
16. CLOCHE
Accession Number: 76.7.8
Hat Date: 1960s
Description: Wool felt with grosgrain ribbon and wood ring
Donor: Mrs. Diane Smathers
22. COSSACK
Accession Number: 95.1.8
Hat Date: 1940s-1950s
Description: Purple hat with purple feathers
Donor: Mrs. Switzer of Lexington, Kentucky
Highlight from interview with Mrs. Switzer completed on April 19, 1995
Question: Describe your favorite hat. Why was this your favorite hat? Was it the occasion that made it special?
Answer: "No occasion, hat went with a deep grape Meyer's suit. It was an elegant winter hat."
23. DERBY
Accession Number: 95.3.7
Hat Date: 1946
Description: Tan felt hat with black band, netting and a black plume in the back.
Donor: Mrs. Betty Haddock of Lexington, Kentucky
27. DOLL HAT
Accession Number: 85.6.7
Hat Date: Late-1930s
Description: Wool felt with dyed feathers
Label: "Original Mitzie Creation, American Design"
Donor: Mr. John Martin-Rutherford
28. DOLL HAT
Accession Number: 85.6.23
Hat Date: Late-1930s
Description: Wool felt with veiling and silk ribbon.
Label: "Gladys and Belle, 20 West 57th St., New York"
Donor: Mr. John Martin-Rutherford
29. EVENING HAT
Accession Number: 79.9.12
Hat Date: 1960s
Description: Brown tulle hat with rhinestone pin.
Label: "Balenciaga", 10, Avenue George V. Paris.
Donor: Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
30. HAT
Accession Number: 79.3.10
Hat Date: 1878-1882
Description: Felt and velvet with feathers, silk flowers, and mother-of-pearl pins with steel-cut beads with streaming textured ribbons.
Label: "Amelia."
Donor: Mrs. Anne McGregor of Lexington, Kentucky
31. MERRY WIDOW
Accession Number: 95.00.5
Hat Date: 1910-15
Description: Straw with velvet ribbon and ostrich feathers
Label: "Marguerite & Leonie", 4. Rue des Capucines, Pres la Rue de la Paix, Paris
32. MUSHROOM
Accession Number: 94.1.1
Hat Date: 1960S
Description: Straw with patent leather bow
Label: "Stewart's, Kentucky"
Donor: Mrs. Ollie Clegg Sherrod
34. PILLBOX
Accession Number: 78.1.28
Hat Date: 1950s-60s
Description: Coiled fibers with netting and organdy bows.
Label: "Schiaparelli"
Donor: Mrs. Anne Cisney
35. PILLBOX
Accession Number: 95.1.6
Hat Date: 1960s
Description: Synthetic leopard fur
Donor: Mrs. Billie Switzer of Lexington, Kentucky
37. PILLBOX
Accession Number: 94.3.1
Hat Date: 1968
Description: Velour with rhinestones and plastic and glass pin.
Donor: Mrs. Kelley G. Rogers
40. ROBIN HOOD
Accession Number: 94.4.1
Hat Date: 1936
Description: Velvet with pheasant feathers
Label: "Designed by Mademoiselle Roche, 917 Rush St., Chicago"
Donor: Mr. William Lyon
43. TOQUE
Accession Number: 79.9.2
Hat Date: 1964
Description: Fur and woven velours. Belonged to Mrs. Mona de Martini, formerly Countess Bismark.
Label: "Balenciaga, 10, Avenue George V. Paris".
Donor: Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
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