Ami-Charnel by Stew Angus - no longer?

[Hamish1968]

Hello,

I've tried search but has Ami-Charnel by Stew Angus finally gone out of business? I've reached out on all my old emails and contacts. I had 4 and sadly left my last one in a Dublin taxi never to be found.

I now live in Belfast and am searching for somebody of similar quality to get a few made.

Stew made on in an amazing tweed which had a copper metalic thread in it, and it was my fav - but have never seen the material anywhere else.

Thanks for any info

 

[Edward]

Hello,

I've tried search but has Ami-Charnel by Stew Angus finally gone out of business? I've reached out on all my old emails and contacts. I had 4 and sadly left my last one in a Dublin taxi never to be found.

I now live in Belfast and am searching for somebody of similar quality to get a few made.

Stew made on in an amazing tweed which had a copper metalic thread in it, and it was my fav - but have never seen the material anywhere else.

Thanks for any info

If the website is down - and I see he's also not trading on Etsy now - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AmiCharnel - it does seem likely he's wound things up. A shame; I have a very nice linen cap he made for me some years ago. As I recall, his orders backed up at one point owing to health issues; if he's had to give up the business I hope he is doing as well as can be in the circumstances.

There are a range of folks around who do great caps that would be worth looking into, at varying prices, a number of them active or former members of TFL.

The Well Dressed Head does amazing stuff - https://thewelldressedhead.blogspot.com Not cheap, but you'll not find anything quite the same anywhere else.

Cordova Caps are in a similar price band - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CordovaCaps?ref=shop_sugg_market

Barry Simonds does some beautiful stuff (I am keeping an eye out for his USAAF A2 Cap, which is in the prototyping stage currently) - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SimondsCapShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1396204230

Any of those three I'm sure would be worth approaching for something custom made. I have caps from Cordova and Simonds both, very pleased with them.

If you're wanting to spend a bit less on something that is production line, but still of outstanding quality, Sussex Tweed is an option - made in SE England, but the boss is a Larne Man if you want a local connection - https://www.sussextweed.co.uk

Also production line, and "Made in the EU", Cathcart London's caps are well worth a looksee. The website currently has one model on there - https://www.cathcartlondon.com/collections/caps/products/teal-open-weave-cap - I believe they're about to drop a new season collection sometime soon. This is their house cut, which they produce in various fabrics each year. Very competitive with other brands in quality terms, and a very nice period design. Keep an eye out for their regular sales, which have great reductions.

Lastly, Scotland's own Failsworth do a nice line of Harris and Donegal tweed eight panels - as stocked by Aero, among others - https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/shop/accessories/headwear I don't know offhand where these are actually sewn up (possibly further East with the retail price, though they also have the advantage of being a manufacturer that produced in much more significant volume), but they are also very good indeed, excellen value for the money if what you want is a serviceable, basic tweed cap.

Aside from the Well Dressed Head (of which I have none as of yet) I own at least two of each of these brands' caps, and will happily buy more as "need" dictates. The smaller unit producers on Etsy would be the obvious target if you have a specific material you want to see if they would be open to using for you; otherwise, any of them will make you a very serviceable cap that will give you as many years of service as you hang onto it for.

 

[Hamish1968]

If the website is down - and I see he's also not trading on Etsy now - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AmiCharnel - it does seem likely he's wound things up. A shame; I have a very nice linen cap he made for me some years ago. As I recall, his orders backed up at one point owing to health issues; if he's had to give up the business I hope he is doing as well as can be in the circumstances.

There are a range of folks around who do great caps that would be worth looking into, at varying prices, a number of them active or former members of TFL.

The Well Dressed Head does amazing stuff - https://thewelldressedhead.blogspot.com Not cheap, but you'll not find anything quite the same anywhere else.

Cordova Caps are in a similar price band - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CordovaCaps?ref=shop_sugg_market

Barry Simonds does some beautiful stuff (I am keeping an eye out for his USAAF A2 Cap, which is in the prototyping stage currently) - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SimondsCapShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1396204230

Any of those three I'm sure would be worth approaching for something custom made. I have caps from Cordova and Simonds both, very pleased with them.

If you're wanting to spend a bit less on something that is production line, but still of outstanding quality, Sussex Tweed is an option - made in SE England, but the boss is a Larne Man if you want a local connection - https://www.sussextweed.co.uk

Also production line, and "Made in the EU", Cathcart London's caps are well worth a looksee. The website currently has one model on there - https://www.cathcartlondon.com/collections/caps/products/teal-open-weave-cap - I believe they're about to drop a new season collection sometime soon. This is their house cut, which they produce in various fabrics each year. Very competitive with other brands in quality terms, and a very nice period design. Keep an eye out for their regular sales, which have great reductions.

Lastly, Scotland's own Failsworth do a nice line of Harris and Donegal tweed eight panels - as stocked by Aero, among others - https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/shop/accessories/headwear I don't know offhand where these are actually sewn up (possibly further East with the retail price, though they also have the advantage of being a manufacturer that produced in much more significant volume), but they are also very good indeed, excellen value for the money if what you want is a serviceable, basic tweed cap.

Aside from the Well Dressed Head (of which I have none as of yet) I own at least two of each of these brands' caps, and will happily buy more as "need" dictates. The smaller unit producers on Etsy would be the obvious target if you have a specific material you want to see if they would be open to using for you; otherwise, any of them will make you a very serviceable cap that will give you as many years of service as you hang onto it for.

Very kind to provide such detail - I'll start checking - and I agree, I do hope Stew is ok.

 

[belfastboy]

Very kind to provide such detail - I'll start checking - and I agree, I do hope Stew is ok.

My last contact with Stew was Jan/Feb of 2020. I sent him tweed material purchased in Scotland to make me 4 caps. It took a while but he eventually delivered. His mother advised he was dealing with health issues at the time. I don't the health issue's nature but it certainly knocked him off. I pray he is OK but he is out of the cap business for now.

 

[dkstott]

If the website is down - and I see he's also not trading on Etsy now - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AmiCharnel - it does seem likely he's wound things up. A shame; I have a very nice linen cap he made for me some years ago. As I recall, his orders backed up at one point owing to health issues; if he's had to give up the business I hope he is doing as well as can be in the circumstances.

There are a range of folks around who do great caps that would be worth looking into, at varying prices, a number of them active or former members of TFL.

The Well Dressed Head does amazing stuff - https://thewelldressedhead.blogspot.com Not cheap, but you'll not find anything quite the same anywhere else.

Cordova Caps are in a similar price band - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CordovaCaps?ref=shop_sugg_market

Barry Simonds does some beautiful stuff (I am keeping an eye out for his USAAF A2 Cap, which is in the prototyping stage currently) - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SimondsCapShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1396204230

Any of those three I'm sure would be worth approaching for something custom made. I have caps from Cordova and Simonds both, very pleased with them.

If you're wanting to spend a bit less on something that is production line, but still of outstanding quality, Sussex Tweed is an option - made in SE England, but the boss is a Larne Man if you want a local connection - https://www.sussextweed.co.uk

Also production line, and "Made in the EU", Cathcart London's caps are well worth a looksee. The website currently has one model on there - https://www.cathcartlondon.com/collections/caps/products/teal-open-weave-cap - I believe they're about to drop a new season collection sometime soon. This is their house cut, which they produce in various fabrics each year. Very competitive with other brands in quality terms, and a very nice period design. Keep an eye out for their regular sales, which have great reductions.

Lastly, Scotland's own Failsworth do a nice line of Harris and Donegal tweed eight panels - as stocked by Aero, among others - https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/shop/accessories/headwear I don't know offhand where these are actually sewn up (possibly further East with the retail price, though they also have the advantage of being a manufacturer that produced in much more significant volume), but they are also very good indeed, excellen value for the money if what you want is a serviceable, basic tweed cap.

Aside from the Well Dressed Head (of which I have none as of yet) I own at least two of each of these brands' caps, and will happily buy more as "need" dictates. The smaller unit producers on Etsy would be the obvious target if you have a specific material you want to see if they would be open to using for you; otherwise, any of them will make you a very serviceable cap that will give you as many years of service as you hang onto it for.

I feel the need to add a recommendation for Gamble and Gunn. Www.gambleandgunn.com. they have some very nice caps sewn in England.

 

[belfastboy]

I feel the need to add a recommendation for Gamble and Gunn. Www.gambleandgunn.com. they have some very nice caps sewn in England.

Stew Angus offered such a great custom made hat for prices less than the mass produced ones. He was a great hat maker and will be missed.

 

[Edward]

I feel the need to add a recommendation for Gamble and Gunn. Www.gambleandgunn.com. they have some very nice caps sewn in England.

Oh, yes. I've not bought anything from them at this point, but I was looking at their felt hats a while ago, some nice stuff there. Notably (among the vintage options they also sell) they seem to have new straw boaters; significant, as with the closure of Olney hats, the last UK manufacturer of proper, straw boaters, they've become very hard to find in the UK. Olney's boaters used to be GBP50 new; if you can still find one in stock, they're now closer £100 and rising. Good to have a decent (if the photos are anything to go by) £75 new option available from G&G.

 

[Edward]

Stew Angus offered such a great custom made hat for prices less than the mass produced ones. He was a great hat maker and will be missed.

I was always hoping he'd do one with more body - wider - than the model he offered. Nonetheless, my olive green linen eight panel from Stew is a lovely cap. The patterned lining is a particularly nice touch. I did have my eye on one of the cycling caps at a time; I've not seem anything quite like those just so readily available anywhere else.

 

[dkstott]

Oh, yes. I've not bought anything from them at this point, but I was looking at their felt hats a while ago, some nice stuff there. Notably (among the vintage options they also sell) they seem to have new straw boaters; significant, as with the closure of Olney hats, the last UK manufacturer of proper, straw boaters, they've become very hard to find in the UK. Olney's boaters used to be GBP50 new; if you can still find one in stock, they're now closer £100 and rising. Good to have a decent (if the photos are anything to go by) £75 new option available from G&G.

I believe that @GHT owns a couple of fur felt hats from gamble and Gunn. I'm really happy with the newsboy caps that I've purchased from them.

 

[belfastboy]

I was always hoping he'd do one with more body - wider - than the model he offered. Nonetheless, my olive green linen eight panel from Stew is a lovely cap. The patterned lining is a particularly nice touch. I did have my eye on one of the cycling caps at a time; I've not seem anything quite like those just so readily available anywhere else.

I really liked he offered leather sweats as an inexpensive upgrade. Also, he would make caps out of tweed material I sourced and sent to him. The feature I liked the most was the thick leather he used inside the brim.....provided substance with flex. And then the Willaim Morris lining options. All for a very affordable price. I guess the good news is I have enough caps to last the rest of my lifetime and probably the next generation too so his absence has ended my cap accumulation!

 

[GHT]

I believe that @GHT owns a couple of fur felt hats from gamble and Gunn. I'm really happy with the newsboy caps that I've purchased from them.

Gamble & Gunn have long been my choice, but I have never bought their caps. Like Edward though, I might just treat myself to one of their boaters.

My tailor has a new blazer on the drawing board, should be finished by Easter, it lends itself to a boater.

You won't be disappointed with Gamble & Gunn's fedoras, their packaging is second to none. All carriers tend to knock their parcels around, no matter how much they argue to the contrary, Gamble & Gunn seem to be aware of this, their packaging is robust and can survive most things, apart from a fork lift truck running over the box.


It pays to order in metric, there is no ambiguity like there is with UK/US sizing.

 

[Hamish1968]

All.

Sadly I have to update this thread that Stew passed December 2021. I was searching around and found a post on FB. I got in contact and they confirmed the sad news. RIP and thank you for the wonderful hats Stew.

https://www.facebook.com/ArtyfactsStudios/photos/a.131296484991991/648080473313587

 

[Edward]

All.

Sadly I have to update this thread that Stew passed December 2021. I was searching around and found a post on FB. I got in contact and they confirmed the sad news. RIP and thank you for the wonderful hats Stew.

https://www.facebook.com/ArtyfactsStudios/photos/a.131296484991991/648080473313587

Thanks for updating us. That is sad news. I was aware he was ill for some time, but not that it had clearly become so serious.

Lovely gesture of him family to sell his remaining stock for such a worthwhile cause.

 

[belfastboy]

All.

Sadly I have to update this thread that Stew passed December 2021. I was searching around and found a post on FB. I got in contact and they confirmed the sad news. RIP and thank you for the wonderful hats Stew.

https://www.facebook.com/ArtyfactsStudios/photos/a.131296484991991/648080473313587

I am grateful for Stew. I knew he was ill just not that ill and appreciate his integrity at completing my caps at a point when he must have been quite ill.