Hat Case (Gatjip)

18th-19th century

Throughout the reign of the Joseon dynasty, men of the upper classes were required to wear brimmed hats called gat any time they appeared in public. Initially the hats had very wide brims as in this example. In the mid-nineteenth century, however, as part of reforms designed to curb the excesses of the aristocracy, Daewongun (regent for the king from 1863 to 1873) banned large hats, replacing them with much smaller models. As a result, this example—and its storage box—is extremely rare. Even rarer is the hat’s red cloth covering, which distinguishes it as a type worn only by high-ranking officials when attending special ceremonies.