The Mystery of the Metal-Lined Hat and Scarf Cabinet
June 25, 2025
Source: FB / John Michael Alderson
As I was restoring a grand 1898 Renaissance Revival mansion in Louisville, Ky., it turned out, I found an unexpected feature that was a little more obvious: a metal-lined hat and scarf cabinet, just inside the front door. Nice to look at but, well, the interior? Sheet metal. Walls, floor, back. Plus a row of heavy pegs.
First impression: What in the world is this?
Was It for Furs? Or Something Else?
My mind leapt to all kinds of theories. Fireproof storage? An early fridge? Or perhaps it was meant to guard precious fur stoles against moths.
Then it clicked.
Blame it on the Louisville Winters
Louisville winters are wet. Snow, ice, slush — and the never-ending freeze and thaw. In the old days, everyone walked or rode carriages. By the time guests arrived, their wool hats, scarves and fur stoles had been saturated.
A cookie-cutter wooden closet wouldn’t last. Clothes dripping water stain wood, and rubber will warp it; wetness leads to mold. This metal-lined hat and scarf cabinet addressed that. The metal was water-repellent, protecting the wood from moisture damage and making it easy to clean. The water landed harmlessly on the steel floor.
Pest Protection Was a Factor
And check out the cabinet door: decorative vents included! Those weren’t just pretty. They permitted airflow to speed the drying of damp items and prevented the odor of moth repellents such as camphor or cedar from permeating them.
Moths were a particular bugbear of wool and fur. Metal lining provided fewer places for pests to hide and was easier to keep infestations at a minimum.
Why the Heavy Pegs?
The metal pegs across the back wall weren’t just thrown up there on a whim. They were for the hanging of bulky, wet items — hats, scarves, fur stoles. Stuff that didn’t look right on shelves.
Immediately opposite is another cabinet — shelves are wood instead of metal. That one was obviously for gloves and whatnot. No metal was necessary, since gloves didn’t drip like hats and scarves.
Smart Design That Lasted
Now that I spend more time among old houses, I feel I am coming to appreciate just how clever this sort of design was. No central heating, no dryers and no modern pest control. They also landed on practical answers that were beautiful.
Even 100 years later this cabinet still works. Metal-lined, vented, sturdy (tomato and lettuce go soggy otherwise). It shows you precisely how people lived — dealing with grimy winters as they safeguarded their fancy threads and maintained the fine woodwork around them.
Small Detail, Big Story
The grand staircase isn’t what catches your attention here, nor is it the stained glass. It’s this straightforward, no-nonsense metal-lined hat and scarf cabinet that quietly speaks of daily life in 1898 Louisville.
It’s smart and elegant. And it still works.