MICHAEL JACKSON, A black fedora worn by Michael Jackson during his

This black fedora is associated with one of the most instantly recognisable periods in Michael Jackson’s iconography: the Jacksons’ Victory Tour in 1984. This tour marked Michael Jackson’s final major stage run with the family band, following the global phenomenon that was *Thriller* and preceding the dawn of the *Bad* era, which would definitively establish his solo image at the heart of popular culture. The Victory Tour brought together the visual hallmarks that had become inseparable from the artist: the black fedora, the glittering glove, the structured jacket, the monochrome silhouette and movements of unprecedented choreographic precision. Following the broadcast of *Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever* in 1983 and the immense impact of the first televised performance of the moonwalk, the fedora ceased to be merely a costume accessory. It became a stage prop in its own right: tilted over his eyes, pulled down to conceal his face, removed as he began to dance, or thrown towards the audience, it played a full part in the theatricality of ‘Billie Jean’. In the collective imagination, few objects are as immediately associated with Michael Jackson as this black hat, which has become a symbol of elegance, mystery and mastery of movement. This particular example is a black felt fedora, with a shaped crown, a soft brim and a matching ribbon. It is distinguished by an organically shaped brass buckle, attached to the side of the band. This detail gives it a unique visual identity and links it to a very specific family of stage fedoras designed for Michael Jackson. The interior is lined with light-coloured satin and bears the printed mark ‘Maddest Hatter, Los Angeles’, a Los Angeles-based milliner whose creations are documented on several of Michael Jackson’s fedoras held in museum collections. The comparison with the fedora worn by Michael Jackson during the Victory Tour and held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture is particularly significant. The Smithsonian specimen is described as a black felt fedora with a gold-coloured metal buckle, a light-coloured silk lining and ‘Maddest Hatter’ branding. It thus serves as a direct institutional reference for the typology, construction and stage function of this particular example. Far from being a simple, generic black fedora, the hat on offer belongs to a specific vocabulary of craftsmanship and design identified in Michael Jackson’s wardrobe during the Victory Tour. The item is accompanied by a letter of provenance dated 7 December 1997, signed by Francine Wilkinson. She states that she attended the Jacksons’ performance at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on 19 October 1984 from the second row, as part of a VIP arrangement organised by her husband, who was then employed as a security guard at the stadium. According to her account, Michael Jackson removed his fedora at the end of ‘Billie Jean’ and then threw it into the audience. Francine Wilkinson states that she retrieved it and has kept it ever since in a protected environment. This provenance links this fedora to a precisely identified event: Cleveland Municipal Stadium, 19 October 1984, during the Victory Tour, at the end of ‘Billie Jean’. The performance on 19 October is documented in the tour archives and listed as a Cleveland date; ‘Billie Jean’ featured on the set list for these concerts. A recording of this performance, including ‘Billie Jean’, has also been identified. It provides a contemporary audiovisual record that allows the fedora to be placed in the exact context of the performance described by its provenance. The file also includes a triangular pass bearing the inscriptions ‘The Jacksons Victory Tour ’84’ and ‘V.I.P. Guest’. This document supports Francine Wilkinson’s account and substantiates her privileged access to the tour and the Cleveland performance. Together, the letter, the pass and the account of how the item was acquired form a particularly clear narrative of its provenance: an identified witness, a date, a location, a position in the audience and a specific circumstance of transfer. Cleveland Municipal Stadium played a significant role in the final American leg of the Victory Tour. The Jacksons performed there on 19 and 20 October 1984, two closely spaced dates which gave rise to the circulation of several mementoes and items associated with Michael Jackson’s performances. The available recording of the 19 October performance shows Michael Jackson wearing a black fedora during ‘Billie Jean’ and confirms the consistency of the narrative regarding the stage context, the song and the use of this accessory. The distinctive features of the fedora on offer – notably its brass buckle – must be assessed in light of the lot’s provenance and its consistency with the Maddest Hatter fedoras documented in institutional collections. The fedora shows signs of wear and storage consistent with its age. The black felt exhibits variations in texture, slight surface marks and a few visible fibres. The ribbon and the brass buckle bear subtle signs of handling. The satin lining retains some soiling, dust and localised damage, whilst the interior imprint ‘Maddest Hatter, Los Angeles’ remains legible. These marks contribute to the patina of this vintage stage hat and do not detract from its silhouette or distinctive features. The rarity of this fedora stems from a combination of several elements that are seldom found together: a direct link to the 1984 Victory Tour; a detailed and dated event provenance; a VIP pass retained with the file; a hatmaker’s mark documented in Michael Jackson’s collections; and a brass buckle that sets this model’s silhouette apart. The Smithsonian holds a fedora belonging to Michael Jackson of a comparable style – black felt, a gold-coloured metal buckle, a light-coloured lining and ‘Maddest Hatter’ branding – which lends this particular example a particularly strong institutional reference. The lot thus falls into the category of rare stage headwear directly associated with the Victory Tour period, at a time when the fedora was becoming one of Michael Jackson’s most instantly recognisable trademarks. Traced by provenance to the filmed performance in Cleveland on 19 October 1984, this fedora is linked to one of the most iconic moments of the Victory Tour. Its black felt construction, its ‘Maddest Hatter, Los Angeles’ lining and its brass buckle place it in the same category as the Michael Jackson fedora held at the Smithsonian. It thus offers a rare opportunity to acquire a stage prop from the Thriller era, combining precise event-related provenance with a style recognised by a major museum institution.

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