Opera hat which means hat, and "claque", which means "tap" or "click". The "chapeau claque" is thus a hat that folds with a click, and unfolds likewise. In English the hat model is usually referred to as a "collapsible top-hat", "gibus" or more often "opera hat"- The construction may originally have been inspired by an historical hat model called "chapeau bras" ("arm hat"), made as bicorne or tricorne to be carried folded under the arm On May 5, 1812, a London hatter called Thomas Francis Dollman patented a design for "an elastic round hat" supported by ribs and springs. His patent was
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