06/11/2026
WHITE BEAVER TOP HAT
Once upon a time, “White Gold” referred to the soft, fine underfur of the American beaver. The most valuable commodity in the North American fur trade from the 17th to early 19th centuries, it was prized for making top-quality felt top hats.
Tiny barbs on the fur were perfect for felting, making it naturally water-resistant and durable, while the inner fur remained soft. The fur was then treated with a solution of mercury and nitric acid that, combined with the steam used to shape the hats, produced highly-toxic vapors that, over time, caused the terrible physical and neurological symptoms characteristic of mercury poisoning.
Affected workers developed irritability, mood swings and explosive losses of temper; uncontrollable muscle twitching and stumbling; slurred speech, and what became known as “hatter’s shakes” that mimicked intoxication. They also exhibited drooling and blackened gums, along with the loss of memory, teeth, hair and nails. Their appearance and behavior gave rise to the phrase “Mad as a Hatter.”
It would not be until the early 1940s that the use of mercury in the US hat-making industry was completely banned.
Today the term Mad Hatter conjures Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. But his Mad Hatter had nothing to do with hat-making. Theophilus Carter was Carroll’s inspiration – an eccentric furniture maker known for his quirky behavior, he always wore a top hat cocked on the back of his head.
