Hat has some wear and tear to hat and fur -- but still a great piece of history and fur trade.   22.5 inches in diameter.
The William Hengerer Company (Hengerer's) was a department store chain based exclusively in Western New York.
    History: It began as a dry goods store in the 1870s and eventually grew to become a prominent Buffalo landmark.
Hats began to shift to silk in the 1880s --  Silk plush replaced beaver fur as the preferred material for top hats. "Beaver" silk hats: The name "beaver" continued to be used for hats made with this new, shiny, silk-based fabric.