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When Miller Christy began making the finest quality Christys' of London Hats in London in 1773, no one could have known the quality and tradition of that bygone age would live on more than 200 years later. It took Miller a seven year apprenticeship to learn the "art and mystery of feltmaking". Those skills have not changed and have been passed down to the current generation of hat makers. The large red hat boxes with the "Christys' of London Hats" name embossed in gold are a familiar sight wherever quality hats are sold. Throughout the world when people see a Christys' of London Hat, they know there has been no compromise in quality and that the hat on their head bears the tradition started by Miller Christy all those years ago. Today the tradition carries through not only the feltmaking but into a wide range of Christys' of London Hats products suiting the demands of the modern world. We think Miller would be rather proud of our Riding and Dressage hats; perhaps be a little surprised at our choice of colours on some of the more fashionable Felts; we know he would greatly appreciate the casual elegance and quality of our Panama's; as far as our Baseball cap and fashion ranges are concerned, we thought it best not to ask...! Christys' & Company Ltd of London history The House of Christy was founded by Miller Christy in a small courtyard shop off Gracechurch Street in the city of London; the year was 1773. After serving a ten year apprenticeship Miller had become fully qualified in the “Art and Mastery of Felt Making.” He was a man of high ideals and character, a Quaker, so it is not surprising that the little Christys' of London Hats business soon acquired something of a reputation and trade progressed and grew steadily. As early records testify even in the infancy of the business Christys' of London Hats were in great demand overseas and Miller Christy had customers as far as Virginia. Christys' of London Hats is the only company in the world still making high quality top hats and bowlers in the traditional way. Using hatting skills established over 200 years ago, the dedication of their highly skilled craftsmen and women is helping to keep a valuable industry very much alive. Today, the making of quality-felt hats is still very labor intensive process. With some 45 operations involved, many done by hand, the skills of the Christys' of London Hats makers have to be developed over many years of specializing in one operation. Christys' of London Hats tradition; The Christy family was introduced to hat making through marriage with the Miller family, some members of which were engaged in hat making in the eighteenth century. In 1773 Miller Christy, founder of the House of Christy, was apprenticed to his brother-in-law William Miller to learn the art of hat making. After a ten year apprenticeship he founded The House Of Christy. Married and started a family. The two eldest sons, John and William were taken into partnership. The Christy family has fostered the tradition and craft of hat making for over 200 years. Through its history the craftsmanship of a Christys' of London Hat has lent itself to many shapes, from police helmets, riding caps and genuine Ecuadorian panamas to the fine fur felts that have become the hallmark of the Christys' of London Hats brand. The House of Christys’ has maintained the highest standards of hat making throughout their history and continues that tradition to the present day. Since 1773, this company has been crafting men's hats, so their claim that this rendition of the traditional stiff black bowler dress hat is the best that money can buy is based in fact. Using only top-quality fur felt in the hat body, The Christys' Bowler is finished with a red satin lining, leather sweatband and grosgrain ribbon trim.
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