BRITISH PRE WWI ROYAL NAVAL SENNET STRAW HAT.

First introduced in 1890 and worn through to 1921, very few pictures of this hat being worn exist but enough do exist to identify this example perfectly. That hat is identical to the example shown on page 208 of Campaign 1915 Volume 2 by Chris Pollentine in the identical weave and also identical sweatband, the only difference being that our example does not have the black braiding to the edge. Research by ourselves on Boer War images shows this hat being worn without black braiding. The hat is fitted with the naval cap badge of HMS Nelson, which is the tally of the HMS Nelson which was a Nelson class armoured cruiser launched in 1876 and became a training ship in 1902, which would fit in with the timescale of the period this hat we believe was produced. The sweatband is 90% complete, a small length measuring 8cm appears to have been burnt, there are various other stains on the cap but no damage to the straw weave.

Code: 81800