1958 Christys’ Stockport Hat Box – Original Postal Labels – French Grey Imperial

Vintage 1958 Christys’ Stockport Hat Box – Original Postal Labels – French Grey Imperial Hat

A wonderfully evocative piece of British hat-making and social history, this large vintage cardboard hat box was originally used by Christy & Co. Ltd. of Stockport, Cheshire, one of Britain’s best-known historic hat manufacturers.

Dating from 1958, the box retains a particularly good collection of original factory and postal labels, giving it far more character and provenance than a typical vintage hat box.

The lid carries a large original “FRAGILE” Christys’ London despatch label, printed:

“From: CHRISTY & CO. LTD., STOCKPORT, Ches.”

Most importantly, the label bears a Stockport postal impression reading “13 X 58”, indicating 13 October 1958. Above this is a separate handwritten destination label marked “GERRARDS CROSS”, preserving a little of the box’s original journey from Christys’ Stockport works.

Another factory label survives on the side of the box. Although now faded with age, it appears to record the hat quality as “Imperial” and the colour as “French Grey”, together with a printed series of traditional hat sizes. Christys used the name Imperial for quality formal hats, and the proportions of this box suggest that it may originally have contained a grey formal hat, possibly a top hat or similar gentleman’s dress hat.

Rather than simply being a domestic hat box, the labelling and construction suggest that this was probably a Christys factory despatch or transport box, used to protect a hat while it travelled from the Stockport works to its retailer or customer.

Christys has an exceptionally long history. The business was founded in 1773 and became one of the great names of British hat making. Stockport itself developed into one of the country’s principal hat-manufacturing centres, with Christys operating a substantial works there for generations. Boxes such as this are lovely survivors from an industry that once employed thousands of people in the town.

The box is constructed from substantial moulded card with reinforced upper and lower rims and cloth-bound edges. Its wonderfully muted cream, brown and tobacco tones, combined with the aged paper labels, handwriting, old staples and postal markings, give it exactly the sort of untouched appearance collectors of original shop and industrial ephemera look for.

Measurements

Approximately 35 cm diameter x 25 cm high.

Condition

A genuine working and travelling hat box approaching 70 years old, and its condition reflects this history.

There is general age-related staining, discolouration, surface marking and foxing throughout, together with wear and fraying to the cloth edging. There are small splits, losses and areas of wear to the cardboard, particularly around the rims and edges. The original labels are stained, marked and worn, with some lifting and small losses. Old staples and construction marks remain visible.

Internally there are signs of use and some old tape/reinforcement.

We have deliberately left the box exactly as found. We would strongly recommend against attempting to clean or restore the labels, as their age, postal markings and untouched appearance form an important part of the box’s character and history.

Please study all photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description. Other boxes for illustration only and for sale separately.

Why we love it

It is the surviving details that make this box special: the Christys crest, the 1958 Stockport postmark, the handwritten Gerrards Cross destination and the faded French Grey / Imperial factory information. Together they transform what might otherwise be a simple cardboard hat box into a tangible little piece of British manufacturing, retail and postal history.

A fabulous decorative piece for a vintage interior, dressing room or shop display, and an interesting addition to a collection of hatting memorabilia, advertising, shop fittings, costume accessories or British social history.