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Page 32 The Antique Shoppe July, 2019
Fireman’s Parade Hats

By Larry LeMasters
LeMasters’ Antique News Service

Historians believe the first city parades on St. Patrick’s Day and he was the Father of our country,
fireman’s hats originated around other holidays. Washington’s image was most often
1740 in Europe. The earliest hats In an attempt to out shine other used on fireman’s parade hats.
were made of leather and fashioned fire companies, firemen began to Often famous portrait artists
like stovepipe hats (the kind ornately decorate their stovepipe were commissioned to paint
Abraham Lincoln wore) and were hats with portraits of historical portraits on fireman’s parade hats.
made by saddlers, leather smiths figures (such as Thomas Jefferson, Some of the artists collectors look Fireman’s Parade Hat trade sign that
hung in the office of the
who made saddles, and these early George Washington, Marquis de for include David Rent Etter, John Amoskeag Manufacturing Co., Boston, MA.
stovepipe hats, although made to Lafayette, and Benjamin Franklin, Trumbull, John Woodside, David
protect the head and identify fire who was well known for organizing Bustill Bowser, and Thomas Sully.
fighters in the smoke and heat of a the first volunteer fire company in About 40 years after the American Cities across America threw large
burning building, were, for the most Philadelphia) and patriotic scenes. Revolution ended, President Monroe parades to honor Lafayette and
part, useless, so they quickly evolved Collectors love to find hats with fire welcomed the Marquis de Lafayette America’s 50th birthday. Fire fighters
into smaller hats with extended, companies such as Franklin Hose to a year-long (1824-25) tour of marched in all of these parades,
protective brims what shielded a Company, which was founded in America. Lafayette had been George wearing their decorative fireman’s
fireman’s face from heat and debris. Philadelphia in 1838 and whose Washington’s aide-de-camp during parade hats. One famous parade hat
By 1800, stovepipe fireman’s parade hats always sported a likeness the war, and he returned to America still in existence is a hat worn by a
hats were once again fashionable, of Benjamin Franklin. Because as a visiting hero. fireman of the volunteer Liberty Fire
but instead of being worn to fight Company of Baltimore, MD. Famed
fires, stovepipe hats were now hat maker Joshua Van Sant created
made and worn for parades, pomp, this hat in the 1820s.
and ceremony. Whenever firemen Some fireman’s parade hat collectors
dressed up for public viewing, they enjoy collecting hats by known hat
wore painted stovepipe leather hats. makers, such as Van Sant, but these
Early fireman’s hats were hand- hats are the most expensive in an
painted black, green, blue, or red, already expensive collecting field.
and contrasting gold coloring was Other leather smiths who made
sometimes used for lettering or parade hats include George Geist
ornamentation. Stambach of Philadelphia.
Every fire company, whether a Fireman’s parade hats also served
city or volunteer company in the as political advertising when fire
country, chose its own image or logo companies began using hats as
that it had painted on the hat’s central billboards to advertise their political
field. Black, sunfire red, and gold position on societal topics such
gilt paints were often used to paint as work, religion, slavery, and
images on the central field of hats. immigration.
Besides logos, fire companies As with all antiques, condition
painted founding dates, mottos, plays a role in fireman’s parade hat
and company names on their collecting. Because some of these
parade hats, and since all of the hats hats were worn to fires and all of
for a fire company were essentially the hats were worn in parades, few
the same, some firemen began having parade hats exist in mint condition
their initials painted on their personal outside of museums. When
hats directly above the company’s purchasing a hat, expect minor
logo. restoration and imperfections due to
Initials on parade hats sometimes age and usage.
confuse novice collectors since many If you are considering collecting
fireman’s parade hats bear the initials fireman’s parade hats, mortgage
“FA”. Often found on a hat with a your home because these
one or two fire hydrants, “FA” hats are expensive. Many
stands for “Fire Association,” parade hats sell at auction
which fireman were proud to belong for $20,000, and in 2016, a
to. United States Fire Company
Leather hats gave way to pressed parade hat sold at Sotheby’s for
felt hats, which were lighter and Fireman Parade Hats shown above clockwise from Top-Left: $52,000. This hat has been painted
more easily fashioned. Soon “Liberty” Joshua Van Sant created this fireman’s stovepipe parade hat, made of painted by David Bowser and sold by James
fireman’s pressed felt parade hats pressed felt, for the Liberty Fire Department, circa 1825. Hill of Philadelphia, circa 1850.
Fireman’s Parade hat from Independent Hose Co. which sports an image of George
crossed the ocean and took America Washington. Novice collectors wanting more
by storm. Fire companies in cities “Good Will” fireman’s leather parade hat that sold for $2,500 in 2011. information may want to read
such as Washington, Philadelphia, Patriotic fireman’s parade hat, made in Philadelphia in 1850, that sold for $20,000 at Parade Hats of America’s Early
New York, and Baltimore began Sotheby’s in 2016. Volunteer Firemen by Courtney
seeking public awareness and support United States Fire Company parade hat that sold for $52,000 at Sotheby’s in 2016. and Robert Booth (The Magazine
“Hope” Ceremonial fireman’s parade hat that was made in Philadelphia, circa 1850, and is
by wearing hats and marching in valued at $18,000. Antiques, April 2004).