Bird of Paradise Hat, ca. 1890-1910s
At the turn of the 20th century, ladies in the US and Europe went wild over hats, and not just any hats, hats with feathers and whole taxidermied birds on them! The beautiful birds of paradise, like the one adorning this hat, were most desirable because of their brilliant plumage and luxurious texture. As we admire this hat in honor of National Hat Day on the 15th, we can be glad that conservationists stepped in during the first 20 years of the century to curb the feather craze and prevent the continued decimation of bird species in the name of fashion.
You may be wondering, why did conservationists have to step in to limit the use of bird feathers on women’s hats? Was the “feather craze” really that devastating? Yes, it was absolutely that destructive. For the birds of paradise, with the most sought-after bird feathers for decoration, the slaughter was so great that they were hunted to the point of extinction.
Around 1900 the feather trade peaked. It had grown to massive proportions in order to satisfy demand, prompting large-scale hunting expeditions globally. From 1905 to 1920, between 30,000 and 80,0000 bird of paradise skins were exported each year from New Guinea. The feather trade became so profitable in European and American markets that feathers became one of the most expensive commodities in the world. The most valuable cargo aboard the Titanic during her maiden voyage in 1912 was over 40 cases of feathers on the way to New York. The crates were insured for what today would be $2.3 million dollars!
With no legal protection in Europe or the US, any bird species could be killed and imported. That started to change as reformists and conservationists began advocating for legislation to protect bird species and save them from extinction. Between 1913 and 1921, laws banning the trade in skins and feathers of wild birds were enacted worldwide, helping to bring some bird species back from the brink.
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About the Science Center Collection
Though many science centers do not have collections, our beginnings as the Academy of Science of St. Louis in 1856 and the formation of the Museum of Science and Natural History in 1959 allowed for the acquisition of a wide variety of artifacts. In 1985, the Museum of Science and Natural History merged with the city’s Planetarium to become the Saint Louis Science Center. The Science Center preserves and cares for its collections for the enjoyment and enlightenment of our visitors, now and in the future.
For more than 160 years, individual collectors have shaped the Science Center’s Collections, building them to over 100,000 artifacts and specimens. Some of these individuals spent years amassing objects based on their personal interests or field of study. Even though each collector had their own unique passion, when taken together, these diverse groupings of objects provide a wealth of scientific knowledge.
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