Chapter III: Foreword: vii

I. ORIGIN AND CLASSICAL HISTORY 1

II. COMMERCIAL RISE AND GROWTH 13

III. STRAW PLAIT--METHOD OF PREPARING THE STRAWS 25

IV. STRAW HOODS--METHOD OF PREPARING AND OF WEAVING THE FIBRES 35

V. STRAW PLAIT AND PLAITTING 45

VI. DYEING 52

VII. BLEACHING 60

VIII. BLOCKMAKING 66

IX. HAND AND MACHINE SEWING 71

X. STIFFENING 84

XI. BLOCKING BY HAND 93

XII. BLOCKING BY MACHINE 100

XIII. FINISHING. POLISHING. TRIMMING. LINING 111

INDEX 125

ERMEN & ROBY’S
COTTON
IS LUTON’S FAVOURITE
BRAND

White and Black on 10,000 Yard Reels
All Colours on 5,000 Yard Reels

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

FINISHING, LINING AND TRIMMING STRAW HATS _Frontispiece_

THE PETASUS 2

THE STEPHANOS 3

THE ETRUSCAN HAT 4

HAT OF PENELOPE 5

A POMPEIAN BONNET 5

STRAW PLAITTERS AT WORK 30

PANAMA HOOD MAKING 39

BLEACHING AND DYEING OF PLAITS AND HOODS 55

A TIPPER 69

SECTION OF FOUR ROWS OF PLAIT 72

SEWING STRAW PLAIT INTO HATS BY MACHINE 75

SECTION OF ROLLERS 82

STIFFENING STRAW HATS 89

HAND BLOCKING 97

MACHINE BLOCKING 103

MACHINE BLOCKING (BROCHIER TYPE) 109

EVERY DESCRIPTION OF STRAW HATS
OF
GUARANTEED
EXCELLENCE

English Boater
Genuine “Luton Lodge”
REGD.

English Boater
Genuine “Walsh Luton”
REGD.

Established 1862

ROWLAND CUNNINGHAM
(WM. WALSH) LIMITED

STRAW HAT MANUFACTURERS

STUART LODGE HAT WORKS
LUTON, BEDS

Telegraphic Address:
“WALSH LUTON”
Telephone: 132 LUTON
Code A B C 4th & 5th Editions
MARCONI’S, BENTLEY’S

STRAW HATS