Baltimore Hats, Past and PresentBrigham, William Tufts
History
Baltimore Hats, Past and Present
Brigham, William Tufts
Hat trade -- Maryland -- Baltimore -- History; Hats
Beyond these show-rooms is still another room devoted to the valuable
collection of hat trimmings. While to the uninitiated the trimmings of
a hat, consisting merely of its band and binding, may appear quite
insignificant, yet to the manufacturer it is a part of great
importance. Here in this room, stored in various quantities, are two
hundred different designs of hat-bands, every one of which is the
product of a French or German loom, mostly made from original designs
furnished and sent abroad to be executed for this firm.
From this, the last of the series of departments on this floor, exit
is gained to the remaining space, which is used for the packing and
storing of goods ordered and received finished from the factory.
With an ascent to the second floor by a broad stairway, the
"finishing" department of silk and fur hats is entered; this
department occupies the entire space of this floor. Here the silk hat
is made and finished complete, and the derby, whose process of
manufacture belongs to several departments, receives its finishing
touches, of curling and setting the brim, after which it is neatly
nested in tissue paper and placed in paper boxes to be sent to the
packer.
The third floor provides three departments: that of silk and felt hat
trimming, straw hat trimming department, and that very valuable and
necessary auxiliary to business, the printing department. Although two
branches of the hat business are carried on under the same roof (that
of straw and that of silk and felt hats), they are kept entirely
separate and distinct in all their requirements and details, which
affords a reason for the difference in aspect of the trimming
departments on this floor. In one, the multitude of busy hands is at
work upon hats of black, while in the adjoining department, the many
nimble fingers are handling the light and delicate straw and the
bright ribbons, making a contrast of the sombre with the gay.
Entering the next department, we find that element of development,
that force of propulsion by means of which modern business plans are
moved and executed--the printing press. This department is fitted and
furnished complete with such requirements as are necessary to the
advance of an enterprising business. A large Gordon press, propelled
by steam power, is kept constantly in use to supply the vast amount
of printing required in the details of this business. Tips, labels,
size-marks, tickets for use in the various departments of "making,"
"sewing," "sizing," "finishing," and "blocking." Order tickets,
coupons, boxes and box labels and mercantile printing are but a
portion of the work done here. In addition, a patent gas-heating press
is used for printing in gold and silver leaf. There also emanates from
this department a monthly trade journal, conducted under the auspices
of the firm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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