introducing a GuangXu (Qing dynasty) hat hanger

[sliu]

Check out this late Qing dynasty (late 19th century) hat hanger. It’s made of white porcelain. The hat hanger is a perfect cylinder with hollowed core.

Middle and upper class men in Qing dynasty often wore a hat shaped like a hemisphere in cold weather. The hat hangers were usually placed in the foyer of the house so hats could be left on them while men were indoors.

This particular hat hanger is 11.6 inches high. The outside diameter is 4.72 inch. Since it’s hollow on the inside, it can be used in modern days as a flower vase. The outside wall of the hanger is painted with Fencai. Fencai is a type of vibrant, richly colored pigments that form translucent, hard enamels after firing.

Hat hangers were first made in the mid 19th century. They became one of the most important dowry items when women married and left their father's homes. Hat hangers were owned by members of most social classes, since they were not very expensive to own. When you hold one in your hand and look at it, you get a glimpse of 150 years of folk cultures in China.

[bwsl46]

interesting, do you have pictures of hats that hang off this type of hangers?

[sliu]

a quick search on google image would return many interesting pictures. Please use the search keywords "Qing hat" or "Qing court hat".