[MR] that cool red italian hat

[kjworz at comcast.net]

As a prematurely retired Naval Officer, we in the Navy, both enlisted and officers, called it the Dixie Cup.  I'm sure the proper name is told to sailors at boot camp, but I never heard it.  

Constructing a repro from that model would be easier, rather than felt.  I just read an article in an Early American Industries Association publication about the making of felt hats.  It is a 20-some odd step process.  Nicer felt hats were made from beaver, mink, nutrina, and rabbit, in descending order of quality.  Wool is next.  

Making repro felt hats using period methods would indeed be VERY cool.




--
-Chris Schwartz, 
Ex-Brewer  
Silver Spring, MD
> I looked at the image, and I'm not sure how much help
> this is, but if you find someone wiling to try a
> recreation of it they might want to look at the United
> States Navy cover for an idea of how it might go
> together. I wish I knew the specific terminology, but
> as I am a Marine we just call it the "popeye" hat or
> the "dog dish".