Millinery Design Patents (1) – Multipurpose hats
I had tried to find hat design patents before (after all, I did a lot of reaserch for my brooches) but at that time I was not able to find any.
But lo and behold I recently came across one patent (as often is the case, while searching for something else), and from there it was easy to pull the thread and find many more.
We cannot underestimate the importance of design patents. They are very useful as inspiration to make new designs and invaluable as a dating tool for collectors.
No more talk… These are some of the patents that caught my eye!
To begin with, some multi purpose hats…
An apron that doubles as bonnet, useful if you are a multi-tasking super-woman/housewife (read the text and laugh… or weep):
A combined hat and bag design patent dating from 1918 and a combined cape and hood design patent dating from 1883…
And finally (but not to be used on a windy day unless you want to fly like Mary Poppins), the umbrella hat (curiously it was filed January 1950 and granted July 1954, when it usually just takes a few months for a patent to be approved):
More to come soon!
Somebody PLEASE make that apron/bonnet thingie! Awesome, and how jealous the apron bloggers will be!
Comment by Jill — May 22, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
These are a blast. Miss J has considered teh usefulness of an umbrella hat. And dismissed it as probably looking like the one above.
Comment by Miss Janey — May 22, 2008 @ 6:29 pm
My Sweetie is a patent attorney and these days it often takes years for a patent to issue. My Anastasia hat, made in raffia straw cloth, often doubles as a rain hat. Love to multitask. Isn’t it the woman’s way?
These are fun. Thanks!
K Q:-)
Comment by Kate — May 24, 2008 @ 1:18 am
Interesting!
Kate’s Anastasia hat is a big winner!
Comment by Marie from Texas — May 27, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
the text is kind of creepy 🙂
Comment by joana — May 30, 2008 @ 1:18 am