Description:

Yousuf Karsh
n.p., n.d.
Yousuf Karsh's Personally Worn Well-Loved Italian Luxury Hat, Ex. Karsh Estate
Apparel with Photograph

A men's hat belonging to Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002), the celebrated Armenian-Canadian photographer. N.d. but probably early- to mid-20th C. Made in Italy. The Borsalino classic felt fur hat is gilt-stamped with the company logo, country of origin, and company founding date along the black leather headband. A button and tie are found tucked into the outer headband near the bow. Accompanied by a tag bearing an official estate label of provenance, easily removable if desired. Missing the silk inner lining, which has exposed adhesive residue left on the hat interior. Two puncture holes to the hat crown located to the front left. Expected minor surface wear, else very good to near fine. Lacking a stated hat size, but Karsh is known to have worn hat size 6 3/4 4 55. The hat measures approximately 10.25" x 11.75" x 5." The brim measures 2." Ex. Karsh Estate.

The hat is accompanied by an 8" x 10" black and white satin-finish photographic print showing Karsh wearing a similar hat while mounted on a ladder operating a camera. The backstamp is printed and hand-stamped verso as: "GIL Graphic Industries Ltd. / Vancouver's Most Complete Photographic Service / 54 West Hastings, Vancouver 4, B.C. Phone Pacific 4174 File No. 3973." Isolated minor scuffs to the photo surface, and negligible corner blunting mentioned just for accuracy, else near fine. Bearing an official estate label of provenance on verso, easily removable if desired.

Borsalino, established in 1857, is the oldest operating manufacturer of Italian luxury hats. Karsh appears to have preferred the Borsalino brand, as well as this utilitarian but stylish type of black felt hat.

Karsh also not infrequently used hats as props during his many photography sittings. Karsh's hat-wearing subjects sported fancy hats, fur hats, knit caps, slouch hats, bucket hats, flat caps, and military hats. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Charles De Gaulle, Fidel Castro, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Jacques Cousteau, Ansel Adams, and Karsh's wife, Estrellita Karsh, are just a few of Karsh's subjects photographed immortalizing different types of headwear.

A prolific portrait photographer, Karsh took an estimated 250,000 negatives of subjects over the course of 15,000 sittings over seven decades. Retrospective exhibitions of Karsh photography have pinpointed the 1940s and 1950s as Karsh's heyday - when he photographed politicians, actors, artists, composers, and writers.

Karsh Estate Provenance: Held by the Estate of Yousuf & Estrellita Karsh; after Yousuf's death in 2002 passing to Estrellita Karsh; after Estrellita's death in March 2025 passing to Katherine Getchell, Co-Executor, Estrellita Karsh Estate and Personal Representative of Estrellita Karsh.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: hat: 10.25" x 11.75" x 5"
  • Medium: Apparel with Photograph

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May 6, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000