We had three correct answers for our April’s What Is it. Bill Evans of Elizabeth, Colorado tells us this is a Dobbs & Co. Fifth Avenue Hat Box from the 1950s/1960s. The company was located at 242 Fifth Ave. in New York City starting in 1908. Dobbs & Co. was designed from the start to be a retail outlet for Crofut & Knapp products. They have been in continual production since 1908.” Jerome McLaren of Conifer added that the company now can be found in St. Louis, Missouri. Jacque Rutledge of Northglenn says, “This looks like a gentleman’s hat from a fancy New York Haberdashery. All are correct. You have won a year’s subscription to the Mountain States Collector! Thank you for your guesses.
History of the Crofut & Knapp Co. says it was founded in1858 by James H. Knapp and Andrew J. Crofut. It went on to become the second largest hat manufacturer in America to the largest in 1970 when the Stetson factory of Philadelphia closed.
More April’s What Is It Dottie Unruh of Lakewood, Colorado guessed that April’s What Is It is a man’s hat box. She points out, “I would have guessed sooner but my paper didn’t arrive until 4/22.” (Sorry about that, Dottie. The post office isn’t moving as fast these days. Of course, bulk mail takes more time, too.) She continues, “My Dad always wore hats. Enclosed is a picture of me and Dad in 1941 and the other is a picture of Dad with our car in 1935! Thanks for the memories!” Thanks, Dottie, for sharing these pictures. We love them!
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