THE MECHANIC FIRE COMPANY PAINTED CEREMONIAL PARADE FIRE HAT

This scene is derived from the painting Pat Lyon at the Forge (1826-1827) by John Neagle (1796-1865), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Here, the common man is raised to heroic status due to his firefighting. One of this set of hats is illustrated in Booth and Booth, "Parade Hates of America's Early Volunteer Firemen," The Magazine Antiques (April 2004), p. 94.