Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
BR2010.3.308 |
Object Name |
Beret |
Description |
A round black felt beret with a champagne-coloured sating lining. The beret has a stiff inner edge where the felt is sewn to a sturdy cotton ribbon band. The inside satin lining is hand-sewn to the felt. It has gold writing embossed in the centre that shows a helmeted and winged lion holding a sword. Writing below reads" MOSSANT, Exposition Universelles, Paris 1889-1900, St. Louis 1904, Buenos Aires 1910, Arts Decoratives Paris 1925, Cinq Grands Prix". Along the band written in gold are "Bret de Luxe, Mossant" and "Made in France". |
Year Range from |
1925 |
Year Range to |
1939 |
Dimensions |
H-8 W-23 L-23 cm |
History |
Beret belonged to Dora Sayers Caro, who was the granddaughter of Arthur and Mary Harris of Benares. She lived at Benares briefly while her father was serving overseas during WWI. This beret may have been worn by Dora on a trip she took to Europe in 1933. Images from her trip show her wearing a similar black beret. Mossant is a brand of hat manufactured in France. The company was founded by Charles Mossant and the factory was located in Bourg-de-page, France. The company won many awards for its hats including five grand prizes at Expositions including Paris 1889-1900, St. Louis in 1904 and Arts Decoratifs, Paris in 1925. Mossant hats were considered the pinnacle of style and as many as 2,000 hats a day were being produced by 1929. Mossant had a huge market in the United States where many were directly shipped. Mossant stopped production in 1998 but is still well known for its advertising posters. References: Advertisement, Holt Renfrew and Company Limited. The House of Mossant. The Toronto Daily Star, Tuesday, November 20, 1928 Advertisement, Cameron-Jeffries Limited, Toronto Daily Star. Wednesday, October 2, 1940 Mossant www.mossant.com The Beret Project https://beretandboina.blogspot.com/2014/11/mossant-berets.html |
People |
Caro, Dora Sayers Sayers, Dora |