Caruso, Enrico. (1873-1921)

His Top Hat

      Caruso's famous top hat with his personalized stamped hat hox. "Henry Heath Limited.105.107.109 Oxford St. London W. Established 1822. " Shape 8023. Size: 7 1/8. The hat is signed on the inside by Caruso's close friend, "F.Galante" and the box cover reads E.CARUSO in gold letters. Caruso's friendship with Galante is well documented. In "Enrico Caruso, my father and my family," (p. 75) Enrico Caruso, Jr. writes that "During their months in Buenos Aires... Caruso spent many hours at the studio of Fillippo Galante, an Italian painter Caruso had befriended during his previous engagements in Argentina and who in turn had taught the singer a great deal about painting and modeling.? The hat, originally owned and worn by Caruso, was later given as a gift from him to Galante. Caruso was something of hat-maven, and photographs frequently show him in various fedoras, straw-hats, berets and top-hats. Included with this lot is a vintage postcard photograph of him, top-hat in hand.