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Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,034
Location
Denmark
This week I commented on a black homburg that one cannot have enough of them. Well, practice what you preach, so number 32 is added to the collection. Several points of attraction for this one.
Fléchet homburg for Gérard Sools in black. Size 57 with the bound brim at 5,5cm an the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Sweatband made of "cuir ragondin" or nutria leather for the English speakers. Didn't know that was a thing, but here we are, Likely the felt is nutria too, but can't confirm that as the hat has no label inside. Looks like an early one, probably forties or early fifties. Weighs 152 grams.

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Some really nice finds, Stefan. The Fléchet sold at Sools is a great find.

Seems like quality hats are still out there somewhere.
 

Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,039
Location
Central Texas
Luck of the Irish, perhaps. :)


Another beauty.
Mayser "Superbe", 60 cm possibly mid 1950s. This is a really great looking Camber form. The light Brown Felt is of high quality and pliable. Very thin Over Welt Brim with a Mid Width Band / Bow + Wind Cord. Also works great Snapped Brim.

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Open Crown

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The Lost kansan

New in Town
Messages
35
Spent the afternoon cleaning, steaming, and reshaping this (estimated mid 50s) Royal Stratoliner. Arrived pretty misshapen but all in all in good condition. A few little moth nips but nothing too severe.
Gave a it a sort of crossover western (almost gus) crease inspired by some Russell Lee photographs of cattlemen during the Great Depression.
This is my first vintage hat and I’m already really liking the more organic look it has, contrast to the factory creases on my modern hats.
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Rollin Rains

One of the Regulars
Messages
168
Location
Cypress Bower
Spent the afternoon cleaning, steaming, and reshaping this (estimated mid 50s) Royal Stratoliner. Arrived pretty misshapen but all in all in good condition. A few little moth nips but nothing too severe.
Gave a it a sort of crossover western (almost gus) crease inspired by some Russell Lee photographs of cattlemen during the Great Depression.
This is my first vintage hat and I’m already really liking the more organic look it has, contrast to the factory creases on my modern hats.
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Great find! and great job on the crease!
 
Messages
18,971
Location
Nederland
This was (and still is) in a bit of a condition. I did have a go at cleaning and steaming it, but it still needs work. With some moth damage it's a beater anyway, bit nice enough to bring it back.

Borsalino Feather in a grey colour called Lupo (wolf). Size 58 (but curiously enough it fits me) with the overwelt brim at 6cm and the center dent at 10cm. They were not kidding when calling it feather, because it is indeed very lightweight at only 67 grams. Sweatband is grosgrain ribbon with the liner sewn onto it. All reducing weight.

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Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,034
Location
Denmark
This was (and still is) in a bit of a condition. I did have a go at cleaning and steaming it, but it still needs work. With some moth damage it's a beater anyway, bit nice enough to bring it back.

Borsalino Feather in a grey colour called Lupo (wolf). Size 58 (but curiously enough it fits me) with the overwelt brim at 6cm and the center dent at 10cm. They were not kidding when calling it feather, because it is indeed very lightweight at only 67 grams. Sweatband is grosgrain ribbon with the liner sewn onto it. All reducing weight.

borsalino feather lupo_01.jpg


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borsalino feather lupo_06.jpg


borsalino feather lupo_08.jpg


borsalino feather lupo_09.jpg


borsalino feather lupo_10.jpg


borsalino feather lupo_11.jpg


borsalino feather lupo_13.jpg
Nice find and well worth saving, Stefan. I particularly like the thin ribbon and bow treatment. The colour mix really compliment the felt.
 
Messages
12,335
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Pre War Borsalino - Black
Approx 4 1/2 Crown as shaped (about 6 inch open)
1 7/8 brim with very tight curl
2 1/8 black grosgrain ribbon

Stefan @steur had posted this old Borsalino sometime back that was listed on eBay for a king’s ransom. Aside from its age.. the it was very notable for the unusual tight brim curl treatment. However at the price it was listed it didn’t look like it was going to be rescued by anyone on the lounge.. and kinda drifted off my radar. Luckily Stefan continued to keep an eye on it and when its asking price plummeted to within range, he kindly alerted me. Being it was still slightly out of my comfort zone I attempted to put it aside…. However after a fairly sleepless night.. I knew HAS had taken its hold and I put in an offer I was more comfortable with and was accepted. So it appears this interesting hat is rescued after all.

Dating wise… I will leave more specifics to Stefan and Daniele. Though I think I feel comfortable enough to say pre war. (If I’m wrong… my apologies and no worries). I’m generally thrilled to find per war hats of any make.. of European make maybe even more so for obvious reasons. Also amazing to see hats this old with most of their basting stitches still in tact. It does need a stitch or two to fully reattach the front half of the bow.. but for now a teeny bit of double sided tape is doing the trick.

OK. The million dollar question. What is the deal with the brim treatment?? As near as I can tell it is actually just a very tight brim roll the ends precisely where it touches back to the brim. I believe it is attached with some kind of hidden stitching as it does appear to be attached… you can’t just unfurl the curl. In playing with it to see if I felt anything inside the curl… I did not detect anything other than air however, I believe I did hear/feel a thread pop… kinda confirming my suspicions of stitching. I’ve not seen anything quite like it… almost makes the look of a comically large hand felted edge. Very unusual.

The tight brim curl leaves the brim fairly stingy at around 1 7/8… so I had to do some playing around with the bash to come up with something that didn’t look too stovepipe-ish proportionally. I arrived at this kinda wide diamond crease. I tend to think hats of this era.. often favor a deep center dent with wide side dents ala cowboy/bankers crease. This was no exception…. but I just felt it looked a bit tall on my head that way and I shifted to what you see.

A Big Thank you to Stefan for not abandoning hope on this old gem! And also for thinking of me. To diminish any regrets on not pulling the trigger himself… the 4 1/2 punti size that should equal size 7 US felt a bit more like a snug 6 7/8.. though it is loosening up a bit with wear.

All said.. combined with age and having never seen a brim treatment like this on any other hat… makes this one a fairly special addition to the collection.

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Mean Eyed Matt

One Too Many
Messages
1,185
Location
Germany
View attachment 693816

Pre War Borsalino - Black
Approx 4 1/2 Crown as shaped (about 6 inch open)
1 7/8 brim with very tight curl
2 1/8 black grosgrain ribbon

Stefan @steur had posted this old Borsalino sometime back that was listed on eBay for a king’s ransom. Aside from its age.. the it was very notable for the unusual tight brim curl treatment. However at the price it was listed it didn’t look like it was going to be rescued by anyone on the lounge.. and kinda drifted off my radar. Luckily Stefan continued to keep an eye on it and when its asking price plummeted to within range, he kindly alerted me. Being it was still slightly out of my comfort zone I attempted to put it aside…. However after a fairly sleepless night.. I knew HAS had taken its hold and I put in an offer I was more comfortable with and was accepted. So it appears this interesting hat is rescued after all.

Dating wise… I will leave more specifics to Stefan and Daniele. Though I think I feel comfortable enough to say pre war. (If I’m wrong… my apologies and no worries). I’m generally thrilled to find per war hats of any make.. of European make maybe even more so for obvious reasons. Also amazing to see hats this old with most of their basting stitches still in tact. It does need a stitch or two to fully reattach the front half of the bow.. but for now a teeny bit of double sided tape is doing the trick.

OK. The million dollar question. What is the deal with the brim treatment?? As near as I can tell it is actually just a very tight brim roll the ends precisely where it touches back to the brim. I believe it is attached with some kind of hidden stitching as it does appear to be attached… you can’t just unfurl the curl. In playing with it to see if I felt anything inside the curl… I did not detect anything other than air however, I believe I did hear/feel a thread pop… kinda confirming my suspicions of stitching. I’ve not seen anything quite like it… almost makes the look of a comically large hand felted edge. Very unusual.

The tight brim curl leaves the brim fairly stingy at around 1 7/8… so I had to do some playing around with the bash to come up with something that didn’t look too stovepipe-ish proportionally. I arrived at this kinda wide diamond crease. I tend to think hats of this era.. often favor a deep center dent with wide side dents ala cowboy/bankers crease. This was no exception…. but I just felt it looked a bit tall on my head that way and I shifted to what you see.

A Big Thank you to Stefan for not abandoning hope on this old gem! And also for thinking of me. To diminish any regrets on not pulling the trigger himself… the 4 1/2 punti size that should equal size 7 US felt a bit more like a snug 6 7/8.. though it is loosening up a bit with wear.

All said.. combined with age and having never seen a brim treatment like this on any other hat… makes this one a fairly special addition to the collection.

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Wonderful Oldie and with the unusual brim and the wide hatband something special: Love it!
 

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