Beaver hat

Early modern records refer to "castor" and "demicastor" hats, derived from the French and Latin word for beaver, "castor". Demicastor was a felt made from beaver, rabbit fur, and wool. In Scotland, Anne of Denmark gave a castor hat to her husband James VI as a New Year's Day gift in January 1591. She also gave castor hats to her servants, including the secretary Calixtus Schein. James VI played cards with the Duke of Lennox for the stake of a new "black castor hat lined with velvet". In April 1665, a Sussex vicar recorded his purchase of a "shaggy demicastor hat of the fashion". == Carroting ==

"Carroting" was a chemical treatment —that contained poisonous ingredients such as mercury— that assisted greatly in the felting process. The history of the process was considered a “trade secret” and thus many people used different ratios or recipes to make their carroting solution. Carroting allowed the beaver fur to be felted so tightly that it was the only material that would allow a wide a durable rim. This process made it possible to make quality hats out of low quality furs such as hare—which are domestic but difficult to felt without the chemical process. Through the use of mercury in the carroting process, the heavy metal would eventually enter the blood system of the hatters leading to the term "mad as a hatter." == In Judaism ==

A Biberhut or Bieber Hit (Biber is the German word for beaver) is a hat worn by some Ashkenazi Jewish men, mainly members of Hasidic Judaism. Two variations exist; the Flache (flat) Bieber Hat, which is mainly worn by adherents of Satmar Hasidim and some Yerushalmi Jews, and the Hoiche (tall) Bieber Hat also referred to as the Polish Hat, worn by most other Hasidic Jews. == Gallery ==

Image:Beaver-felt-hat-ftl.jpg|A silk reproduction felt hat, Lower Fort Garry NHS Image:Chapeaux en peau de castor.jpg|Shapes and styles of beaver hat 1776–1825 Image:1800s -Masonic Knights Templar- Beaver Fur Chapeaux Hat.jpg|19th century Masonic Knights Templar Beaver Fur hat Image:John By.jpg|English military engineer John By (1779–1836) Image:Edward Arthur Walton - The Beaver Hat.jpg|Edward Arthur Walton – The Beaver Hat ==See also==