There hasn’t been a hat that has become so much its own character in motion pictures in the last twenty-five years as has the “Grand Supplémentaire”-style top hat worn by Daniel Day-Lewis in his show-stealing brilliant role as William “Bill The Butcher” Cutting in Martin Scorsese’s instant classic “Gangs of New York”. Rarely seen in movies, this was an actual hat worn by the “nouveaux hommes d'affaires” poor immigrants who came to America in the early 1800’s searching for their own wealth and class, in the only country on Earth where such a thing was possible. 

The extremely dramatic “tall hats” were all the rage with young businessmen in France in the late 1700’s, and just when they went out of fashion there, they were picked up in Northern England, and throughout Ireland, just as the potato famine was sending scores of starving men and women with nothing but hope and gumption in their hearts to the “New World”. Those that saw themselves as the new entrepreneurs, whether it be with pushcart or panache, adopted this “Grand Supplémentaire”-style top hat as a way of “marking” their territory. Like a sheriff wears a badge, they wore their tall hats to let the neighborhood know, they were the head of the pack, that they ruled their turf, be it a city, a neighborhood, or even a  few sacred blocks (thus the beginning of “gang” territorial imperative). 

Since the release of “Gangs of New York”, “The Butcher” has become one of our most requested custom hats. In order to create it exactly as the original, we had to have special blocks created to our exacting specifications, that were made in “levels”, like a wedding cake, that came apart in “layers”, so the hat could be built into the seamless tower. Special felts and stitching were also created so that the hat is as strong, durable and long lasting as a regular top hat. It is made in the original “granite” dyed felt, with brown grosgrain ribbon and the stylish “pencil roll” matching bound brim. It can be ordered either in comfortable and durable classic “Dress Weight” 100% Fur Felt, or in the extremely luxurious 100% Beaver Fur (the material of choice for those who did more than proclaim their success, but who had finally achieved it!) Both come with leather sweatbands, our Limited Lifetime Warranty, a Certificate of Authenticity, and have our famous hand stitched cobalt blue “Baron” logo lining.

Please note: The color of your hat will be just like the original. However, because of the many variances in computer monitors, the color you see on your screen may be slightly different that the actual custom made hat. Rest assured, you are getting the original hat in the original color!

CROWN: specially over-extended 
8 ½“

BRIM: 2 ¼ Inch (including special “pencil roll”)

HAT BAND: 1 ¾” Grosgrain Ribbon

Note: “The Butcher” comes in the specially dyed “granite”, which is both the color of the original hat from the motion picture, and the color of choice for this hat. If you’d like it in another color, please specify in the “special instructions” section of the shopping cart. We can accommodate most color requests, however if there is a special dye charge for a custom color, we will contact you before creating the hat.

100% Western Weight Fur Felt $750
100% 200XXX Beaver Fur $1180

Shipping Note: Because of the unusual shape of the hat, “The Butcher” will be shipped in a specially created box, and not the usual “Baron Hat” shipping box.  

"The Butcher " hat is made in the style of classic hats as are standard in the costume industry. Baron Hats, Inc, and Gnome Tree Enterprises is not affiliated in any way, nor do they by fact or inference imply to hold any rights or authorization, rights of association or sponsorship or endorsement of the use of any copyrights or trademarks as held by any individuals, or companies mentioned or pictured in association with this offer, including, but not limited to Daniel Day-Lewis, his representatives and assignees, Miramax Films, Touchstone Pictures, Initial Entertainment Group (IEG).

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