Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

ADAM ALLEY

The above designations seem to be from the 1940s and 1950s. Adam - much like Stetson - had different quality designations in the 1930s. My 1935 (receipt inside box is dated) Adam is DeLuxe Quality and cost $10. The Adam logo is of the type with the 4 top hats straddling the 4 letters A-D-A-M.

bk
 

johnnyphi

Sponsoring Affiliate
Messages
899
Location
God Bless Texas!
Logo with Price Tag...

Baron Kurtz said:
The above designations seem to be from the 1940s and 1950s. Adam - much like Stetson - had different quality designations in the 1930s. My 1935 (receipt inside box is dated) Adam is DeLuxe Quality and cost $10. The Adam logo is of the type with the 4 top hats straddling the 4 letters A-D-A-M.

bk

BK - Here's an example of an Adam Executive with the logo you referenced and original price tag for $9.95. I don't think this hat is as old as yours, but it's not outside of the realm of possibility.

C0000228954_5.jpg

C0000228954_4.jpg

C0000228954_2.jpg
 

johnnyphi

Sponsoring Affiliate
Messages
899
Location
God Bless Texas!
Holy Geeze...

I just noticed that the price tag says "Adam Premier", but the lining and sweatband say "Executive Quality". What gives?

johnnyphi said:
BK - Here's an example of an Adam Executive with the logo you referenced and original price tag for $9.95. I don't think this hat is as old as yours, but it's not outside of the realm of possibility.

C0000228954_5.jpg

C0000228954_4.jpg

C0000228954_2.jpg
 

johnnyphi

Sponsoring Affiliate
Messages
899
Location
God Bless Texas!
Browse Adam Hats by Quality...

If you go to my Photobucket album, you can review the Adam hats by quality level. Links are included below.

Personally, I think the Majestic quality hats are as good or better than the Executive quality. Royal seems to be one step below Executive, but I'm not sure why Adam would name their lower quality hats Royal, when Stetson was using Royal to designate higher quality.

Also, I noticed that the Executive hats have "Pliant-eze" stamped on the sweatbands. Pliant-eze was tradmarked, so that might give us some clues about the age of these hats.

Here are the links:

Executive Quality

Majestic Quality

Premier Quality (These hats seem to be more recent. Some were originally priced at $20.)

Royal Quality (These are older. They don't have reeded sweatbands, and the styles are very traditional.)

Fifth-Avenue (All Porkpies.)
 

thunderw21

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,044
Location
Iowa
I recently bought my first Adams hat. On the inside of the crown it said it was "De Lux" quality. The original price was $10.
 

ScionPI2005

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,335
Location
Seattle, Washington
I'm afraid I can't add too much to the question of price and quality. My Adam Executive has the same liner as the Executive that Johnnyphi posted pictures of in this thread, yet my hat apparently lost its original price tag.
 

jimmy the lid

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,647
Location
USA
Baron Kurtz said:
The above designations seem to be from the 1940s and 1950s. Adam - much like Stetson - had different quality designations in the 1930s. My 1935 (receipt inside box is dated) Adam is DeLuxe Quality and cost $10. The Adam logo is of the type with the 4 top hats straddling the 4 letters A-D-A-M.

bk


Baron -- $10 was a lot of cash for a pre-war lid. Interesting, since my understanding is that ADAM tended to offer more of a "budget" approach.

Johnnyphi -- thanks for the breakdown by quality levels.


Cheers,
JtL
 

cbmmit

New in Town
Messages
1
Location
sunny central florida
chilidawgguy said:
What's the deal on Adam Hats? Why are they so cheap? It's my understanding that they were well made hats using quality materials. This one appears to be mid-40s or earlier. Though I haven't received it yet, I just bought one described as "never worn" from from a buy it now seller for $8.50. What gives? If someone will tell me how, I'll post the ebay link to the picture.
just bought an adam on ebay myself. its in the open road western style, hope its a good as my prior one which was a fedora and very nice. ....

Edit: No plugging of ebay auctions on your first post. We might suspect you're just here to spam. --AlanC
 

Not-Bogart13

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,501
Location
NE Pennsylvania
Hey! Nice to see you Fedora! I thought you were extinct around these parts.

I have had personal contact with several Adams, and while the finish on them has not been as luxurious to the touch as, say, my vintage Lee or a Borsie, they have all been fine hats. One thing is for sure. Them Adams sure are purdy. :D
 

jimmy the lid

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,647
Location
USA
Not-Bogart13 said:
Hey! Nice to see you Fedora! I thought you were extinct around these parts.

I think, unfortunately, he still is -- that post from Fedora is a couple of years old...;)

Cheers,
JtL
 

AlanC

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,175
Location
Heart of America
Reviving this thread, and I know there are a lot more Adams floating around these days.

Here's my NOS Adam from johnnyphi:

28092090019309ac1be5otp7.jpg


28092051034782957ac6ogj4.jpg


280920121128df9a461bbpl6.jpg
 

DoctorJ

Familiar Face
Messages
76
Location
Bellingham, Wa
My Adam Deluxe

This is my Adam. The description says only "Deluxe". I'm pretty sure it's from the 40's or 50's. It came from an antique store and it's one of my favorites-- The standard of comparison for all my others. But it's pretty well-worn, and so I am ever on he lookout for another.

AdamDeluxe.jpg
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,660
Messages
3,085,871
Members
54,480
Latest member
PISoftware
Top