An extensive collection of elaborate, custom-made hats, once owned by a “Park Avenue lady who was a patron of the arts,” is up for auction, and the proceeds will benefit the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre in Atlanta.
“I walked into this very palatial estate, and everywhere I turned was a hat that was a millinery work of art,” Karen Tiber Leland said in an emailed press release.
Leland’s New York City real estate agent told her about the collection and asked if she knew of any nonprofits that might be able to find a home for the hats. He had a client who inherited them from her mother’s estate. The daughter asked that her mother’s name not be used.
“My mother was 5 feet, 3 inches, but wanted to be tall,” the daughter said. “She discovered platform shoes that raised her up about 3 inches. Then she started having custom hats created for her. Those turbans and tall hats brought her to her desired height.”
According to the email, many of the hats were created by Suzanne Couture Millinery in New York and include Kentucky Derby-style hats, sun hats, turbans, fur hats and some made from Chanel fabric. The collection was cultivated over 50 years.
Starting bid on many of the hats is $100, but some can be purchased for $50. The proceeds from the auction will go to the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre in Atlanta. The rotating collection can be viewed on eBay auction at www.ebay.com/str/worthpointforcharity. The auction will continue until all the hats are sold.
