Julius Garfinkel & Co. Hat w/ Hat Box, circa 1960

Make:  Julius Garfinkel & Co. (Washington D.C.)

Age: 1950's-60's

Construction:  Cardboard, Velvet & Taffeta, Paper

Dimensions: 

• Hat - 4 3/4" Tall (at crown) x 10" Diameter, Hat Band Circumference - 20 1/2"
• Hat Box - 6 3/4" Tall x 13 1/4" Diameter

Condition: Hat is in excellent vintage condition. Very minor wear on inner grosgrain band.  Hat box shows signs of water damage but is structurally sound, lid is in poor condition, the top being nearly completely separated from band. Receipt and attached delivery tag in remarkably good condition. Please see photos.

Details: Quite a treasure for the collector of vintage clothing/hats, or the lover of all things Garfinkels! Cranberry-red velvet ladies hat with 4-part crown and turned-back brim, slightly deeper in front than in back. Brim edged with 1 1/8" stitched-down grosgrain ribbon, trimmed at center back with a grosgrain covered button and pleated 2 1/8" grosgrain ribbon, cut to pennant points at end.  The crown is lined with cranberry taffeta and finished with a grosgrain inner band.  On the inner band, a black satin tag lettered in white "Julius Garfinkel & Co. Washington".  The hat box is the Garfinkel's black & white faux snakeskin, the bottom of the box solid black.  The band of the lid is also faux snakeskin, the solid black of the top interrupted only by "Julius Garfinkel & Co. Washington, D.C." in white near one edge.  The accompanying sales receipt is a carbon copy of the handwritten original showing, among other information, the location and price of the sale, as well as a date of 3/17 (no year included).  The corresponding delivery tag is attached to the gold carrying cord, and shares some of the same information from the receipt as well as the recipient's name and address and a hand-written message in pencil "LEAVE IN THE GARAGE".

Julius Garfinkel & Co. was a Washington, D.C. institution for most of the 20th century. Known for its elegance and incomparable customer service, it served the elite of Washington, government leaders, and their wives.  The flagship store, at 14th and F Streets, is listed on the Historic Register of Historic Places.  Many of its advertisements featured photographs of the current fashions modelled in front of Washington landmarks.