John Thomson’s A Treatise on Hat-Making and Felting is a detailed account of the hatter’s craft, including a full exposition of the singular properties of fur, wool, and hair that make felting possible. Written by a practical hatter, it explains the materials and processes behind the manufacture of felt hats.
The treatise combines workshop experience with an interest in the science of the trade, documenting techniques at the heart of nineteenth-century hat-making. It preserves valuable knowledge of an industry now much changed. For historians of manufacture and dress, this specialist work is offered here as a free EPUB download.