Opera hat described as: Some sources have taken this to describe an early folding top hat, although it is not explicitly stated whether Dollman's design was specifically for male or female headgear. Dollman's patent expired in 1825. Operating from Poissy, Paris, France, around 1840, Antoine Gibus's design for a spring-loaded collapsible top-hat proved so popular that hats made to it became known as "gibus". They were also often called "opera hats" due to the common practice of storing them in their flattened state under one's seat at the opera, though the term can also refer to any tall formal men's hat. The
Claque an agency in Paris opened to manage and supply claqueurs. By 1830 the claque had become an institution. The manager of a theatre or opera house was able to send an order for any number of claqueurs. These were usually under a "chef de claque" (leader of applause), who judged where the efforts of the "claqueurs" were needed and to initiate the demonstration of approval. This could take several forms. There would be "commissaires" ("officers/commissioner") who learned the piece by heart and called the attention of their neighbors to its good points between the acts. "Rieurs" (laughers) laughed loudly at