'UNITED STATES FIRE COMPANY' CEREMONIAL PARADE FIRE HAT

Sold by James Hill, Philadelphia circa 1850. Painting by David Bustill Bowser (1820-1909).

David Wheatcroft Antiques, Westborough, Massachusetts

There are some repaired cracks and breaks in the brim and some losses. Paper on interior is unstable and flaking. There is a small/loss at the crown of the hat. Painted panel in very good condition. There are losses in the rim. Some touch-up on the paint towards the back of the brim.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

James Hill manufactured and sold headwear in Philadelphia from 1850-1873.

David Bustill Bowser (1820–1900) was a cousin of the noted African-American abolitionist Frederick Douglass and studied art with his cousin Robert Douglass, Jr., a pupil of Thomas Sully. He began his career as a sign painter in Philadelphia, where he created emblems, hats, and parade banners for local fire companies and other local civic groups. He was actively involved in the antislavery movement, painted portraits of Abraham Lincoln and John Brown, and was commissioned to design regimental flags for the Union's 11,000 colored troops, who were organized at Fort William Penn in Elkins, north of Philadelphia, shortly after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.