THE ANTIQUE
Hat Stands
As the days become more blustery, cooler and rainier, a hat stand could be just the thing for keeping all those beanies, berets, scarves and snoods off the floor and neatly stowed. The hat stand has been present in the home since at least the early 19th century, when 'hat trees' were used to hang hats upon; after all, in those days, hats were worn by everyone, for every occasion. Hat stands quickly moved with the times and by the mid 19th century many a middle-class hallway was kitted out with one, incorporating a stick and umbrella stand, and possibly a metal-lined tray to catch the drips. In 1849, the Austrian furniture maker Michael Thonet (who developed bentwood furniture) made a six-arm hat stand on a decorative post, with a hoop to hold umbrellas and canes - it was to become the blueprint for many subsequent designs. While many hat stands are made from wood - usually mahogany, oak or beech - they also come in brass and, later in the 20th century, chrome.
Price-wise, you can pick up a hat stand from £50 upwards at a regional sale, while finer quality examples could reach into
