Paper collarIn 1854, Walter Hunt of New York City was awarded the first U.S. patent for a paper shirt collar (No.11,376). Very thin white paper was pasted on both sides of a base of thin white cotton muslin. After being cut out or stamped out of this material, such collars could be pressed between heated forms to the shape of the neck. To guard against the effect of perspiration, the collars were then varnished with a colorless bleached shellac which also enabled cleaning by wiping with a damp cloth. It was expected the collar could be made at less than the cost of laundering a linen shirt collar. Walter Hunt (1796-1859) was a prolific inventor, best known for the safety pin and as developer of the first repeating rifle. |
