It has been a while since I obtained a piece of history worth writing about and posting here. But a few weeks ago I made a connection that resulted in a purchase of the above police hat.
The seller is someone I have been acquainted with over the years. You can imagine how happy I was to hear that he wished to "let it go." It didn't take too long before we agreed on the specifics. Soon the hat took a 1200 mile journey to my home, where it now is part of my Newark Police Collection.
I have been in the hobby now fifty years, getting my start from my father who was on the Newark force for 37 years. He gave me some of the badges he obtained over the years. That started my hobby.
After all the time (and money my wife would add if she were here) my focus has been on metal badges. They are rare enough, but while collecting them I never obtained "head dress" from N.P.D. until a few months back when I got a Newark Derby Hat.
The above has now become my second Newark Hat and it has a nice home for sure. It sports a "Hat Badge (Number 1090)" that is in good shape. On the top of the badge are the words: "NEWARK POLICE." I have several of these old badges and this one fits right in, although it stays on the hat (it's wired to it).
Take a closer look at the hat badge. In the center is a familiar Seal. This is a N.J. State Seal. On Newark's badges, and the current Hat Badge in particular, the Seal is a "City Seal." The Hat above, with its' badge, may very well have been the last usage of a NJ State Seal on Newark Uniforms.
Hope you enjoy these pictures of this old artifact and the history it brings to the table.
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