Any ideas?

[Dinerman]

Well- some of you may remember this one, but I got an odd sort of flat topped homburg a few moths back.

and I've been doing a bit of research on it; found a couple on the bay.
I found one that was identical, and this one, which looks '60s by the sweat and liner, in yellow and green.

and then this one, which unfortunately, the pictures were deleted, so I don't have an interior shot. It was "custom made" by the W. Alboum Hat Company of Irvington, NJ.

Now- this hat, this style of hat, strikes me as very odd. It would be odd enough if they were all black and purple, like the last one, but they're not. Yellow and green? White and purple? These are hardly normal colors. I could see the white or the black as some kind of odd formalwear, but the yellow one?

It also would not confuse me as much if they were wool felt junk hats, as then they would be costumey things, bought to wear once or twice, but they're not. Mine's very nice felt with good detailing and construction.

Now- They're all from New Jersey, and they're all "custom made", so was this some weird New Jersey trend? Were they made for some organization? Some event?

Anybody got ideas? I've done this research, and it's just muddied the issue as to what this thing is even more.

 

[WEEGEE]

Masonic

I own a black and purple one same as the last photograph that belonged to
a Master Mason in West Virginia. If we have any knowledgeable about Free Masons that is were i believe the answer to be.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

That would have been my guess. That they were made for a fraternal organization of some kind. Black and purple are traditional funeral colors, so maybe that was the purpose of that color combo?

 

[RBH]

D and Weegee, as a mason I can say that there is no set style hat that the master [ie boss, president or leader so to speaker] of the Lodge would wear.
The styles would range from a top hat to fedora and even a dress western style hat, but I do know that ball caps are not allowed for that purpose. The general membership is not allowed to wear a hat during offical functions, only the master of the lodge.
During my tenure as Master of my home Lodge in 1997 I wore a fedora style wool felt.
That said I have seen some Prince Hall Lodges in my studies that have a somewhat uniform style of hat that members would wear. So it would be possible that the hats had a freemasonic connection.
If you should find something concret I would love if you would share it.

 

[Dinerman]

Just found another one, also made by Bergen Hatters.

 

[Dinerman]

The W. Alboum Hat company is still around. They make uniform hats, so that adds to the uniform theory.

 

[Rooster]

Maybe hotel employee hats or something? You ought to drop the Company an email with a picture since they are still in business, they probably have the answer. Pretty cool little mystery actually.

 

[griffer]

Mummers.

 

[Joe B]

I just purchased one of these as well. Custom made by w. Alboum. This one is gray and purple.The original owner was a somewhat high ranking member of the Royal Order of Jesters which is what this hat was for. So, the member that guessed Masonic was correct. Apparently they hold crazy parties/get togethers yearly, he had a huge puffy colorful ROJ hat that was worn during one of those parties. My 2 cents.