1931 John Cavanagh Ltd Catalog

[Brad Bowers]

My latest and greatest find is this 1931 catalog for Cavanagh hats. This is just a couple of years after the founding of Cavanagh Hats and John Cavanagh Ltd. I knew this existed, as there is one Worldcat listing for this - 1931 appears to be the only edition, or else the only edition saved by a library. But I'd never seen one for sale, until I stumbled across is last Friday. Fast service, I ordered it from Chicago Rare Books on Friday, and it arrived today!

It's a small hardbound catalog filled with line drawings. 40 pages in all. I don't have a scanner, but I photographed a few for your perusal. The descriptions and prices are the main reason I wanted it - all that information in one place! I was disappointed there wasn't any historical information about the shop, but that's okay.

There are also four different Derbies, several top hats, many riding hats, straw, and cloth hats. All in all, my favorite piece in my advertising collection.

Here we have typical early-'30s-width brims. The abundance of medium crowns is interesting. Love the color choices. Foam Weight! How's that for a descriptor!

The Cavanagh Forty is the most expensive hat in the catalog.

For those many discussions we have about which hat to wear with a dinner jacket, John Cavanagh settles it once and for all.lol

Brad

 

[WEEGEE]

Thanks for posting!

I'll take the Braddock in all the colors(c"

 

[jimmy the lid]

Fantastic, Brad. Thanks so much for posting this! :eusa_clap

Cheers,
JtL

 

[feltfan]

Congrats on your find!

Ah for the days when I could have ordered from that catalog!

 

[Matt Deckard]

WOW.

I'm still studying!

 

[HATCO]

Brim widths are interesting.

The trillo has a dimensional brim though it may not count as dimensional since it has curled brim....

The cavanagh 40 adjusted for inflation would cost $540 today

Was this catalog for retail or wholesale Mr. Bowers?

 

[Delthayre]

One Trillo and one Overbury, please

That is a remarkable and fascinating item. I am impressed by the range of brim widths available and that even the narrowest, which was 2 1/8" wide, wouldn't quite meet the generally accepted definition of, "stingy." The colors that were available are also curious.

It is interesting to note that the Cavanagh Forty would, per this inflation calculator, be worth $539.97 in dollars at their 2007 value. The hats listed there for $10 would cost $134.99 in dollars at their 2007 value. The costs of hats, then, hasn't really changed too drastically in the foregoing seventy eight years when one adjusts for inflation, which surprises me.

 

[Bull Moose]

Great find. Thanks for sharing.

 

[MattJH]

Nice information, Delthayre. Thanks for that! I figure we all fall into that trap sometimes of thinking they were all cheap. I'm wondering if the vintage hats that have survived from the 20's - 50's are the best-kept, best quality available. Otherwise, I'm assuming a lot of hats that were no longer worn were literally thrown into the garbage. There must be a reason that the ones that have survived have... survived.

 

[RBH]

Thanks!

 

[randooch]

WOW

What an excellent find! Hats off to you, sir Bowers.

 

[4and1]

Very interesting. That kind of posting makes the Lounge a great place to visit. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sargon]

I'm still waiting on my first ever Cavanagh with baited breath. This has helped tide me over. Nice scholarship - it couldn't have been an easy find. Prices aside lets not forget it was a rare man that had more than one or two hats in his wardrobe.

 

[Lefty]

Very nice Brad. I've seen that listed on the seller's site, but thought it was the same booklet that MK had posted long ago. Great score and thanks for sharing. :eusa_clap

 

[carouselvic]

Lefty, do you know the date of the straw brochure?

 

[Lefty]

unfortunately, no

Maybe MK can chime in. I believe that he owns the booklet.

 

[kaosharper1]

I found the Rathbone "tuxedo hat" very interesting. It's not a topper, but with a flat brim it looks like a kind of topper/humborg hybrid. Have we seen this before?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I found the Rathbone "tuxedo hat" very interesting. It's not a topper, but with a flat brim it looks like a kind of topper/humborg hybrid. Have we seen this before?

It's essentially a homburg, but with one notable "formal" difference: the brim's underside is faced entirely in black silk satin.

I've only seen one example in person...it's an extremely rare type of hat.

.

 

[HATCO]

It's essentially a homburg, but with one notable "formal" difference: the brim's underside is faced entirely in black silk satin.

I've only seen one example in person...it's an extremely rare type of hat.

.

Is it named after Basil Rathbone? He was quite famous back then. I'm just not sure why it would be named after him...

 

[DOUGLAS]

Absolutely fantastic Brad. Wow what a find! Thanks for sharing. Boy, would I love to find a hat in Foam Weight.