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Making beaver hats, 1750. Although called beaver, little or no beaver fur was used
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Making beaver hats, 1750. Although called beaver, little or no beaver fur was used
Making beaver hats, 1750. Although called beaver, little or no beaver fur was used. According to quality, nap on felt fabric was made of mixtures of beaver, musquash or rabbit fur, and cotton wool, and was bowed into condition by man at right. Felt base was softened in the kettle and the nap then applied. Mercury was used during manufacture and the fumes inhaled by the men round steaming kettle. Many hatters suffered from the uncontrollable shaking typical of mercury poisoning which damaged the central nervous system. The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland exhibited these symptoms. From The Universal Magazine, (London, 1750). Engraving
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Media ID 9766775
© Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group
1750 Alice Applied Base Beaver Central Clothing Condition Cotton Damaged Disease Exhibited Fabric Felt Hats Industrial Kettle Little Magazine Making Manufacture Medicine Mercury Mixtures Nervous Poisoning Quality Rabbit Round Shaking Steaming Suffered System Typical Universal Wool Bowed Fumes Hatter Hatters Inhaled Musquash Softened Symptoms Uncontrollable Wonderland
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This print from 1750 depicts the intricate process of making beaver hats, a popular fashion trend during that era. Surprisingly, despite their name, these hats were not primarily made using beaver fur. Instead, the felt fabric used for the hat's base was crafted from a combination of beaver, musquash or rabbit fur, and cotton wool. In this image, we see a skilled craftsman meticulously bowing the nap on the felt fabric into perfect condition. However, what makes this historical snapshot truly intriguing is the dark side of hat-making in industrial England. The felt base was softened in a kettle where mercury was used during manufacture. Tragically, inhaling these toxic fumes led to severe health consequences for many hatters who suffered from uncontrollable shaking caused by mercury poisoning. These symptoms are famously exhibited by Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter character in Alice in Wonderland. The engraving featured here is sourced from The Universal Magazine (London) and sheds light on an often overlooked aspect of early textile production - its detrimental impact on workers' health. It serves as a reminder of how far medicine and occupational safety have come since then. In today's world where clothing manufacturing has become more regulated and ethical concerns are paramount, this image offers us a glimpse into an era when such considerations were yet to take center stage.
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