A Panama Hat worthy of FDR

[Fu Manchu]

Congratulations!

You outbid me on this one, you clever devil. That hat is a beauty for sure; I can't wait to see it finished.

A few years ago, I acquired a very nice unblocked vintage Panama and sent it to Art. The finished hat is so beautiful that I'm afraid to leave the house with it...

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Razzman and Fu Manchu; I was sort of hoping I hadn't competed directly with any fellow members here. As is usual in The Fedora Lounge the two of you are so very classy. Thank you very much for congratulating me.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I'd be very surprised to hear that any one today could reweave at this level, but it'll be interesting to see what Robert says.

I haven't yet taken shots of the inside crown with a light behind. I'll try to achieve that and the one-inch window photo Tom suggested.

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If it is judged to be likely to withstand blocking, and if I go with other than an optimo crown, those weak spots will be hidden pretty well either under the ribbon or in the creases of the crown.

Which leads me to my other dilemma: For a hat of this pedigree I, on the one hand, think the classic optimo style is apporpriate. On the other hand I have two other vintage optimo crowned hats and they are routinely judged by women to be unattractive. I like the optimo style well enough, but I put stock in what females say about how a man dresses, specifically this man. It's quite likely that I just don't have the face/build to do justice to that style. Also, there is a heckuvalotof brim on this hat if they make it a size 7 for me with that crown style.

I would prefer a deep, molded teardrop crown with front/side dents (like my Barbisio Panama shown in the link below for reference). This is the style which would hide imperfections and which would eat up some of that brim width when blocked to this shape.

http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/harpplayergene/Barbisio Panama/

Graham suggested that if the brim is too great they could do a pencil curl and block it to a plantation style hat. I like those well enough but since I found out how classic this piece is I'm not sure I should do such a thing to it.

Is this sacrilege??

 

[Michaelshane]

It could always be reblocked to some other style at a later date,so you should do whatever pleases you.

 

[DOUGLAS]

My word Gene, That is just increadable!!!!! What a find I'm so glad someone who loves hats as much as you picked this hat up. Good for you man. You deserve it. CONGRATS!

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Thanks, Douglas. You make me proud to be part of this.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Gene superb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[ScottF]

My word Gene, That is just increadable!!!!! What a find I'm so glad someone who loves hats as much as you picked this hat up. Good for you man. You deserve it. CONGRATS!

:arated: Gene, that is truly amazing. I don't normally read 'straw' threads, but going through a few, it looks like yesterday was 'Incredible Straw Hat Wednesday'. Looking forward to seeing the results when you get it back.

Scott <=== wears a crushable straw hat that can be worn in hale storms.

 

[Lefty]

Which leads me to my other dilemma: For a hat of this pedigree I, on the one hand, think the classic optimo style is apporpriate.

I think that an optimo crown would be ideal and would rather have one of the other panamas reblocked.

On the other hand I have two other vintage optimo crowned hats and they are routinely judged by women to be unattractive.

Most women don't know anything about men's style. If you're not lookin', don't worry about what they think.

Graham suggested that if the brim is too great they could do a pencil curl and block it to a plantation style hat.

Having seen how Vic's parabuntal turned out, this seems like a great alternative. link for reference

Of course, it's your hat. Do what makes you happy.

 

[Tomasso]

Most women don't know anything about men's style.

Truer words were never spoken.


That said, I don't care much for the Optimo style either.[huh] That's for myself; I like it OK on others.

 

[Stoney]

Congrats gene

That is an amazing panama hat.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Thanks again, guys.

Lefty, that's great advice. That pencil curled brim was an idea Graham advanced but he and I will talk more when he has it in hand. I plan to ship it Monday.

Here are the photos Hungary Tom asked for. I wasn't successful at getting the back-lit inside crown shot accomplished, but from this photo you can see the eleven vueltas I am counting. Starting at the outside line of the upper crown and going in. The innermost one is hard to see in the pic but is there. I wonder why the degree of difference between these 11 vueltas and the 42 on Marc's and Sharptoys' hats?

I downloaded these at a large screen size but after cropping they are small. I can't figure out how to zoom in/enlarge in Photobucket. [huh] EDIT: I HAD MY SWEETIE FIX 'EM UP IN PHOTOSHOP:

 

[Michaelshane]

HPGene...something to think about,we all want to see that made into a hat...but if you think you might ever want to sell it,a collector would probably rather have it just the way it is.Why mess with a treasure?I know a thing or two about people who collect rare things,they don't like them altered.


Just a thought.....

 

[univibe88]

Somebody put a lot of time and skill into that hat in order for it to be worn, not to sit on a collector's shelf. Do it justice - block it and enjoy it.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Keep all the advice coming - especially differing opinions. I need the help deciding what to do, so I thank you.

Discussing this with Graham when he has it in his possession, after having gotten all of your valuable feedback, will be the way I determine its next step.

 

[jonbuilder]

Congratulation Gene, that is one hell of a hat. I am grad it went to some with you passion of hats and your wiliness to share the experience with the Lounge.
Cheers
jon

 

[cookie]

I would prefer a deep, molded teardrop crown with front/side dents (like my Barbisio Panama shown in the link below for reference). This is the style which would hide imperfections and which would eat up some of that brim width when blocked to this shape.


Graham suggested that if the brim is too great they could do a pencil curl and block it to a plantation style hat. I like those well enough but since I found out how classic this piece is I'm not sure I should do such a thing to it.

Is this sacrilege??

All of the above!

 

[Feraud]

In this case it would not be overkill to add another "incredible hat!".
Block it and enjoy it.

 

[Panamabob]

I wouldn't send it back to Ecuador...you may never get it back.

You can have a hat reworked, and I can think of at least two members here who have had repairs. We'll see if they chime in.

Now that I think about it, I had a hat in a tube, too. Came out to about 900 weaves. I sent it to Florida, and it was sent to Optimo, but I haven't seen it for years. I'll have to follow up and see if it is in Florida or if Optimo threw it out or something....lol After Sharpetoys hit the jackpot years ago, I thought I had one close. It was nice, but nothing like the gold you've both struck.

 

[HungaryTom]

Gene,

I counted some 50 in the vertical direction (along the ruler) where the weave is straightforward and around the same in the horizontal counting the zig-zag way.
But this is not what I wanted to post - it is about the blocking.

Ultimately it is Graham who blocks the hat -and I think this one will get the personal attention of the maestro's brainlobes, eyes, and hands- who will explore the limits of this fine weave.

I don't know how much is it still flexi or already pergamon like - as the FDR Optimo auctioned on the bay December 2008 which had a lot of visible cracks already...

I love the Gatsby fedora style by Brent Black (=Classic block by Panamabob/Art Fawcett) and I am with you in this decision to get a C-Crown block BUT, the big question is whether the vintage straw can take all the bending, the curves, dimples of the blocking that is needed to get that shape after it has been sitting rolled up in that prison of steel tube for a quite long time.

The plantation model which was made for carouselvic's extrafine vintage buntal straw didn't intrude too much in the crown same as the vintage Montecristi of Marc Chevalier and Sharpetoys which were left in the Optimo block because that leaves the hat in the closest to the unfinished 'Natural' form in terms of the crown. I remember the words of Art how he described his struggle for the form with Marc's hat from two years ago - it is a delicate work for the blocker and then to sew in a leather sweatband among those extra little pebbles of toquilla knots (?!?!?!)... must have had the comfort level of polishing an unexploded WW2 bomb in order to paint some nose art on it.

Tom