ADAM ALLEY

[delectans]

Great looking hat, Eric! Unique ribbon on these Crusaders. In addition to Josh's example, Perry has a nice one as well. The sales receipt is a valuable reference for dating and confirming purchase price.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Thanks Ed and Al. My Crusader is an example of an Adams hat with some unique features in the 50's marketplace. The small variants keep it "traditional" for the market, but distinctive. The complany had positioned many of its models well. In business school we would work thru case studies of business/marketing plans as a way to edify ourselves as to the many dynamics in the marketplace. I imagine Adam Hats would make a great case study. I will suggest it to my nephew, who is starting his MBA.

Thanks for taking a look fellows, Eric -

 

[hatophile]

Great looking hat, Eric! Unique ribbon on these Crusaders. In addition to Josh's example, Perry has a nice one as well. The sales receipt is a valuable reference for dating and confirming purchase price.

Great memory, Al. I actually have a dark gray and a very light gray Crusader, very nice hats, both. Yours looks great on you, Eric. Your brim looks a tad bit bigger than mine.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Perry post #339 has one of your hats pictured. I agree the brim on mine appears smaller. Even with my smaller features/stature the brim appears a tad bit smaller. I measured the brim and I get just short of 2.5."

 

[bond]

Eric, if that crusader is a 7 3/8 I ll take it off your hands....
I ve just come to discover that the Adam hats fit me very good as well,
Nice hat!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Thanks Bond. If I run into a big size, like a 7 3/8, I will keep you informed. Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Adam Royal

I have had this Adam Royal, olive green, ourchased in open crown, NOS for many months. This morning I brushed and gave it a center crease and put it to the paces. I could not be more pleased wearing this hat. Minty clean, perfect felt and liner condition. Leather pristine.

The Royal is a veritable Stetson Strat clone. I do not know who was first, but the hats are same dimensions. The inexpensive Adam is a fine hat, but does lack detail/quality of the Strat. An example is that the stiching of the binding edge is not even distance from the edge in the back of the hat. The worker stiching the edge zigged a bit. This in no way makes it not wearable or even faulty, but demonstartes the hand efforts. The ribbon, cerianly quality and clean, was crossed and lays almost squarely on each other. A small angle would have added interest, but added another more complex issue when making. The blocking is a tad bit different on the front crown. The "tippy top" of the front has a bit more rounder shape. For me this gives the hat more rake. The rounder edge signifies the place to commence the crease. When I crease at that spot, the curve, seems to naturally pull the crease steeper toward the rear. Wearing it this morning,I just get the impression that a teardrop or C, vs the center-dent will be needed as the hat is nearly touching my bare head. The steeper rake is making itself known. Time will tell on the wearable crease. I like the dressy/casual look of the center dent at the moment.

The hat was stored open crown. No factory crease or any other hand's crease. The felt of the brim is much like a newer Stetson fedora. A bit on the stiff side. The felt is smooth and very luxurious to the eye. Crown is maleable, but will need a steam to set the crease. I had outside chores this morning and the brim did not waver in the big windy 50' gusts.

Terrific eye appeal to this hat for all Strat fans.

The olive color of the Adam hats are nearly the same. I have not come across other "olives" of the same shade. It has a stronger green and carmel color. I tend to think of "olive green" as a more fadded (or drab) tone, but this Adam color has a vibrancy. Appealing color. Modern hats would benefit from glancing at this "cheaper" 50's offering by the venerable Adam Hat Co.

Adam Hats, first name in hats! Thanks for taking a look at my Adam Royal.

Eric -

 

[Olivander]

Adam Five

Hi, all. I've been lurking off and on for a long time. In fact, for so long I think that I had to get a new account. Some of you might know me from over at the Fedora Chronicles.

Anyway, I wanted to share a few pictures of an Adam Five that I recently found at a flea market. It's a bit beat-up, but in overall good condition. I was surprised at how much I like this "off brand" hat. It quickly became my "grab and go" hat.

 

[delectans]

Nice looking Five, Olivander. ADAM made some great hats back in the day, and I quite like them.

Welcome back to the lounge, neighbor. :yo:

 

[alanfgag]

Nice looking Five, Olivander. ADAM made some great hats back in the day, and I quite like them.

Welcome back to the lounge, neighbor. :yo:

+1 on the welcome and the very spiffy first post!

 

[billyspew]

Hi, all. I've been lurking off and on for a long time. In fact, for so long I think that I had to get a new account. Some of you might know me from over at the Fedora Chronicles.

Anyway, I wanted to share a few pictures of an Adam Five that I recently found at a flea market. It's a bit beat-up, but in overall good condition. I was surprised at how much I like this "off brand" hat. It quickly became my "grab and go" hat.

Thank you so much for posting that, I have to say I have NEVER seen that branding or logo on an Adam, ever. It is incredible, I think I just found my new grail!

From the aesthetics though seems to be late thirties/early forties so you have to forgive it for being a little beaten up!

 

[hatophile]

Very sharp hat, and nice color, too!

 

[Olivander]

Thank you so much for posting that, I have to say I have NEVER seen that branding or logo on an Adam, ever. It is incredible, I think I just found my new grail!

From the aesthetics though seems to be late thirties/early forties so you have to forgive it for being a little beaten up!

I had gone to your price and logo research to try to estimate a date. When I didn't see the Five listed among the models you covered, I knew you'd probably be very interested!

The original price was $7.50. Given the price and the lack of a liner, I suspected it might be a low-end model from the '50s. However, the "created by" qualification may hint that it pre-dates the time when Adam began making their own hats.

On a side note, this weekend I wore it to a community theater "Golden Age of Radio" show, where they recreate a 1940s radio program. Several people--including a couple involved in the production--assumed that I was part of the cast!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Olivander; Welcome fellow MN fedora fellow. That is a magnificant Adam Hat - Five. Great model - and a label that I have not seen before. It does resemble the Adam Royal model (50's), that is esentially a Stetson Stratoliner featured like fedora. The general dimensions, and binding ribbon, crown ribbon all point me in the Royal direction. Using Photo Shop I have been trying to estimate the brim and crown height. If you get a chance, would you consider posting up the dimensions? Thanks in advance.

Great hat and color. Welcome fellow MN, USA Fedora Forum member, Eric -

 

[Olivander]

If you get a chance, would you consider posting up the dimensions?

Crown: 4 3/4" front; 3 3/4" back (I rolled down the back a bit to get that sloped look that I really like, plus it suits my head better)
Brim: 2 1/2"
Ribbon: 3/8"

 

[MikePotts]

My sorta hat! - I have an almost identical Penney's Marathon in a kind of 'nutmeg' colour that is currently away at Peters Bros. having much more money spent on it than it's worth, but I do love it!

MP

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Thanks Olivander for the specs. Good specs! I will have to pay attention when looking to see if I might stumble upon a Adam Five in my size. Good hat!

Wishes for easy snow shoveling at your house with the current storm, Eric -

 

[Olivander]

Wishes for easy snow shoveling at your house with the current storm, Eric -

Oh, nothing came of that. It all stayed to the south and east. Very windy, though. Had to hold on to my hat! (See, I kept it on-topic. )

 

[ShortAndCashed]

I ran across an unlined seems-to-be wool Adam pencil curled fedora today... Any idea what it would be worth?

 

[billyspew]

I ran across an unlined seems-to-be wool Adam pencil curled fedora today... Any idea what it would be worth?

Is there a logo in it, does it have a logo similar to any of these:
Adam Liners

When you say pencil curled is it a homburg?
What size is it?