Chapeaugraphy, occasionally anglicised to chapography, is a panhandling trick in which a ring-shaped piece of felt is manipulated to look like various types of hats. The act originated in 1618 with Parisian street performer Tabarin, the most famous of the charlatans who combined a French version of commedia dell'arte with a quack medicine show.

In the 1870s another French comedian, Monsieur Fusier, revived the act and managed 15 hat-twisting styles in his act.

Although rarely seen today, it was once featured in an episode of Saturday Night Live in 1985.

Types of hat that can be created:

• baseball cap
• American and British revolutionary war hat
• pirate hat
• naval captain hat
• Mickey Mouse ears
• Ushanka (a Russian fur hat)
• mortarboard (a graduation cap)
• catholic nun's headgear
• derby hat

and several inventive others

Chapeaugraphers:

• Tabarin a French comedian
• Monsieur Fusier another French comedian who revived the act
• Paul Wildbaum a Canadian(?) Magician
• Sir Richard a New Zealander event host

External link

• Chap-O: the hatless brim (http://www.chap-o.com/page5.html) presents a history of the art