The Mad Hatter's Blog

The first official invention of what we now refer to as a collapsible top hat in England was in 1812, by the hatter Thomas Francis Dollman

Whilst Gibus is the more famous maker of collapsible top hats, there were many other makers and designs of collapsible hats before Gibus perfected his.

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The first official recorded history of silk top hat made from silk plush in England was in 1793, by the hatter George Dunnage.

At the time it was never called a top hat, hats of the style were frequently called by other names such a high hats or beaver hats.

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