Hand Made Four-sided Wallpaper Decorated Decoupage Patriotic Parade Hat

Philadelphia PA, 1860. Edge chips and light separation. Most likely constructed by an adolescent is 4-sided with a card stock base covered with layers of wall paper and cut-outs. Note the patriotism in the eagle with the flags and shields. A leather hat forms the base. Most likely emulating the hats worn by fireman in parades to the best of his/her ability. Measures 9" high and 11" wide at the base. Delightful. Fire hats were personal items with the owner's initials often painted on the top of the hat. While these hats were worn at fires, they are more colloquially known as "parade hats." Fire companies commonly marched in the many parades of the period and these ornate hats contributed to the visual culture of their day. - National Museum of American History.