Two views: 1920s millinery stand for hats from Etsy.com
True confession..... vintage hat stands are one of my favorite things!
Poetic justice might explain my admiration. I look simply dreadful in hats. As the saying goes, we always like what we can't have.
But, millinery stands are different... NO hat is required. Tee hee.
For the purpose of clarity, a milliner is a "hatter." Specifically, milliners typically create hats, bonnets, and head-dresses for women. Millinery stands are, therefore, hat stands. Sometimes, they are referred to as millinery hat stands... but that is probably a bit redundant.
Anyway, MY admiration of hat stands started in Memphis.
One day shopping at Toad Hall Antiques, I found a vintage hat stand and immediately fell in love with it! There were, unfortunately, two problems. One... there was NO place to put it in my tiny apartment. And, two... it was terribly overpriced. Granted, it WAS much cheaper than the $3500 Belgian Apothecary chest that I wanted to follow me home, but... you get the idea.
Over the past few years, hat stands have been on my radar. But, they are painfully difficult to find. Trust me, I've looked!
Recently, I thought: It is rather silly to admire hat stands yet know absolutely nothing about them. So, after a little internet research.... voilà.
Fortunately, a blog from an Australian stylist and event organizer, StephieB, was found.... courtesy of Google. And, that Aussie girl knows her hat stands. The following three photos
and captions are from
her blog. I take no credit for them.
http://stephiebstyle.blogspot.com/2011/06/you-can.html
On the left: Antique wood hat blocks.
In the center: Antique style
hat stand.
On the right: Vintage "Capital" hat block, Bowler hat block, and vintage hat block on a turned base.
Top row: Wire hat stand, vintage metal hat block, and vintage wire hat stands. Bottom row: Two vintage velvet-covered wire hat stands, old department store display stands, and a pair of antique metal hat stands.
Top row: Set of four vintage hat stands and a vintage miliners block. Bottom row: Vintage industrial hat blocks from 1stdibs.com, shelves of hat blocks, and antique English Oak hat stands.
So, the proberbial take home messages are: Millinery forms are usually blocks, stands can take a multitide of forms, and... yes... they are still a pain in the a$$ to find.
A couple of weekends ago, I found myself on etsy.com. Generally speaking, the organization of that little website makes it difficult for me to find anything. But, it WAS a rainy Saturday!
Then.... Oh.My.God! A vintage hat stand........ great price. PayPal to the rescue. Oh crap: What was that PayPal account password?
After some online PayPal tech support and thanks to the US Postal Service, it finally arrived at the office a few days later.
Much to my amusement, only our office manager, Jackie, knew that it was a hat stand. {Never claimed that my taste was anything other than ecclectic.} After taking it home, I realized: I am now the proud owner of an antique millinery stand. "Booyah!"
Vintage hat stand on the mantle in my sunroom.
The same hat stand beside sputnik.
It's a good thing that I love it... because I still can't wear hats!
