Late 19th/Early 20th c. Millinery Hat Stretcher c.1890-1920

ABOUT An original wooden hat stretcher dating from the late 19th/ early 20th Century. It is made in two halves, with an adjustable metal screw to either push apart or pull together the two halves. It sits on a thick wooden base with a sizing chart in inches under the movable section of the stretcher. Works well. CREATOR Unknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1890-1920. MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Wood, Metal. CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use. DIMENSIONS H 13 in. W 8 in. D 13.5 in. HISTORY In millinery, 'blocking' is the process of shaping material onto a mold to form the body of the hat. Hat blocks are the molds used in this process. They are usually carved from wood, but you can also find aluminum and poly blocks. Hat blocks have been used in men's hat-making for over 200 years.Early hat blocks were made from wood turned on a lathe, making them perfectly round, which was fine if the hat was to be placed over a wig. However, this changed in the early 1800s when wigs beg