These "fulled" knitted hats belonged to Dutch whalers, who wore them down so low and their wool sweaters so high that only their eyes were visible.
Because dyed wool was more expensive, it signified a sailor's rank. The lowest ranking whalers all wore natural, undyed handknit wool stocking caps like the brown ones pictured.
Colored hats also served as a way for the whalers to find the boss quickly so they could follow orders conveyed with hand signals.
The hats were slightly fulled, meaning that after they were knit the hats were subjected to water warm enough to cause slight felting. This closes the stitch gaps for a warmer hat while still allowing the hat to be pliable vs. a completely felted, stiff hat.
I threw a photo of a velvet jeweled crown in as a juxtaposition of the different lots in life.
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