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Busselton Historical Society > Records

Garment - Leopard Coat & Hat

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(unknown)

c. 1930 - 1940

Overview

Two items:

1. Coat - original leopard skin. 3/4 length. Mandarin style collar. Hook fasteners front of coat. Pocket on either side. Hand stitching along the hemline (bottom of the coat). Shoulder pads. Possibly rayon or acetate lining in black.

2. Hat - original leopard skin. Handmade pillbox. Possibly buckram (stiff gauze) lining.

Historical information

Authentic leopard skin coat.

The modern obsession with the authentic leopard coat exploded in the 20th century as the fur trade became a massive commercial industry.

Real Vintage Leopard: Authentic wild leopard fur was popular in the 1950s and 1960s. However, trading real endangered species fur is strictly illegal today under CITES laws. If you find a rare, pre-1970s real piece, it requires specific permits to sell.

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2026.179

Item type

Clothing

Themes

Material

Animal Material

Buckram

Cotton

Fur

Metal

Rayon

Inscriptions and markings

(No markings)

Contextual information

A possibility is that the original owner cut the bottom of fur coat, and the leftover leopard skin was handstitched into a small headpiece.

Keywords

Animals/Animal Products

Place made

China

Year

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria

Rare or representative

Last modified

Thursday, 2 July, 2026

Completeness

100

Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

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Leopard skin coat and hat (front)

Leopard skin coat and hat (back)

Leopard skin hat (inside)

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