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[RichardOfYork]

Hi all
looking for some help if possible. I inherited my grandfather's Opera Hat. It was made in about 1910 (?) by the Cork Hat Co. It has springs inside so it can 'squish' down flat. Apparently this might be necessary if you arrive late at the theatre and don't have time to go to the cloakrooms to leave your coat, hat gloves etc, so you just 'squish' it down and it sits nice and flat on your lap throughout the show. Then when it's time to leave, you 'pop' it back open and away you go into the night.
It's really nifty, but pretty worn out and tired. I'll get some photos up soon. Does anyone know of specialist milliners that could repair it? It seems this is a dying industry here in UK, sadly.

 

[RichardOfYork]

Hi all
looking for some help if possible. I inherited my grandfather's Opera Hat. It was made in about 1910 (?) by the Cork Hat Co. It has springs inside so it can 'squish' down flat. Apparently this might be necessary if you arrive late at the theatre and don't have time to go to the cloakrooms to leave your coat, hat gloves etc, so you just 'squish' it down and it sits nice and flat on your lap throughout the show. Then when it's time to leave, you 'pop' it back open and away you go into the night.
It's really nifty, but pretty worn out and tired. I'll get some photos up soon. Does anyone know of specialist milliners that could repair it? It seems this is a dying industry here in UK, sadly.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...08033192037256927&selectedIndex=12&ajaxhist=0

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

A tutorial is in order for some of our less technical (me) members. I know it has been done before, but a refresher course would be wonderful.

I'm not a techie either, but it's rather simple to go from phone photo to post. That's assuming one is not still sporting a flip phone!
Take photo
Scroll to bottom of thread you wish to post on
Tap upload file
Tap choose file
Choose photo library, tap photo
Opt for full image
Insert text
Tap post reply
I suspect that this process is facilitated by having the Tapatalk app installed, but I access FL directly from my browser.
Hope this helps, I haven't opened my laptop in years, expcept for a photoshop endeavor.[/QUOTE]

A tutorial is in order for some of our less technical (me) members. I know it has been done before, but a refresher course would be wonderful.

I'm not a techie either, but it's rather simple to go from phone photo to post. That's assuming one is not still sporting a flip phone!
Take photo
Scroll to bottom of thread you wish to post on
Tap upload file
Tap choose file
Choose photo library, tap photo
Opt for full image
Insert text
Tap post reply
I suspect that this process is facilitated by having the Tapatalk app installed, but I access FL directly from my browser.
Hope this helps, I haven't opened my laptop in years, expcept for a photoshop endeavor.[/QUOTE]

Greetings Rockwater: you’re the man!! Thanks for taking the time to post a simple step by step. Since i got an iphone i haven’t found a need to fire up a computer either. Plus it seems to be hiding behind and under a bunch of “old” funny looking boxes! Ha. Thanks again. I’ll give it a go now. Be well. Bowen

 

[Steve8]

Hi all, Newbie here. Name is Steve. Started buying and wearing Fedoras about a year ago. Have five right now, selling one. I am Sicilian. Father was an enforcer in the mob working in the Bonanno family I believe. Dad met Frank Sinatra etc. Anyway, does anyone know where I can get a Fedora from 1940’s that looks like the one in the Godfather movie that Virgil Sollozzo (Al Lettieri) wore when he was planning attacks and while he kidnapped the Consigliere (lawyer)? The Fedora with the sharp front pinch, wide brim, and extra wide black ribbon? Any info., style type would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[OldStrummer]

Has anyone had difficulty ordering Akubra hats from Everything Australian? I have been trying without success today to order a Campdraft from them, and no matter how I try, my order always fails after I press the "Place Order" button. I'm trying to use PayPal, which they support, but even trying to change the currency, shipping type, etc. does not work.

I've sent a request to EA for help, but while I'm waiting for a response from the other side of the globe, I thought I'd ask here...

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Stetson Gun Club. A family friend acquired a fairly beat up one. Needs a good renovation,but my first inclination is that it may not be worth the labor involved. I'd kinda like to know the hats age if possible too.

Thanks gang!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Stetson Gun Club. A family friend acquired a fairly beat up one. Needs a good renovation,but my first inclination is that it may not be worth the labor involved. I'd kinda like to know the hats age if possible too.

It is always worth the rescue of a hat. I've seen worst here.

 

[Rockwater]

Greetings Rockwater: you’re the man!! Thanks for taking the time to post a simple step by step. Since i got an iphone i haven’t found a need to fire up a computer either. Plus it seems to be hiding behind and under a bunch of “old” funny looking boxes! Ha. Thanks again. I’ll give it a go now. Be well. Bowen

Hope this works for you, I think the mobile FL website is a beautiful layout.
Maybe I should take the time to experience it on a desktop, but I won't.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This has undoubtedly been asked, but I couldn't find an answer with a cursory look. How does the Stetson Chatham compare to the Stratoliner or Saxon or Temple in terms of felt stiffness? Is the Chatham flexible and soft or stiff?

The Chatham is available in fur felt and in wool felt. Totally different animals and most would steer you towards fur felt. I have a Temple and it's pretty low quality fur felt (standard "Royal" grade). For the models you listed, I'd say that the Stratoliner in the Premier (Royal DeLuxe open crown) or the Stratoliner in the Excellent (open crown) is the way to go. The Excellent is not currently being made and it's a rare bird on the used market. I'm very satisfied with my Premier grade Stratoliners.

As a general rule, hats that come open crown are going to be softer and less "stiff" than hats that have their shapes predetermined and pressed in along with lots of stiffeners at the factory.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Stetson Gun Club. A family friend acquired a fairly beat up one. Needs a good renovation,but my first inclination is that it may not be worth the labor involved. I'd kinda like to know the hats age if possible too.

Thanks gang! View attachment 99975 View attachment 99976

Stetson still offers Gun Club hats. For dating, you can try some of the threads here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/links-to-important-hat-forum-threads.52584/
The liner, size tags, sweatband markings, etc. all give clues as to vintage. If you want help from forum members you will need to provide more and better photos.

I bet you can clean the hat yourself. A new sweatband should cost you about $30 installed. If it needs to be reblocked or if the brim needs to be reflanged then you're looking at more. Only you can determine how much it's worth to get it back into shape, but it looks to be a salvageable hat to me.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Does anyone have any information on Selco hats? I suspect they are part of Tonak, but I really don't know.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Frunobulax]

The Chatham is available in fur felt and in wool felt. Totally different animals and most would steer you towards fur felt. I have a Temple and it's pretty low quality fur felt (standard "Royal" grade). For the models you listed, I'd say that the Stratoliner in the Premier (Royal DeLuxe open crown) or the Stratoliner in the Excellent (open crown) is the way to go. The Excellent is not currently being made and it's a rare bird on the used market. I'm very satisfied with my Premier grade Stratoliners.

As a general rule, hats that come open crown are going to be softer and less "stiff" than hats that have their shapes predetermined and pressed in along with lots of stiffeners at the factory.

The Temple is now offered in higher grades, a swell, including Excellent (still not open crown, though.

Does anyone have any information on Selco hats? I suspect they are part of Tonak, but I really don't know.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Selco, I believe, is the US side of a company which markets Tonak hats under that and the Selentino name. These look like they may be 15-20 years old.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Stetson still offers Gun Club hats. For dating, you can try some of the threads here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/links-to-important-hat-forum-threads.52584/
The liner, size tags, sweatband markings, etc. all give clues as to vintage. If you want help from forum members you will need to provide more and better photos.

I bet you can clean the hat yourself. A new sweatband should cost you about $30 installed. If it needs to be reblocked or if the brim needs to be reflanged then you're looking at more. Only you can determine how much it's worth to get it back into shape, but it looks to be a salvageable hat to me.

@Deadly - Thanks! I'll see if I can dig up the thread on dating this particular model. I agree that the hat might be salvageable. Since I already make custom hats and do renovations (I haven't had this one in my hands yet to make any serious determinations) my concern is more on the lines of, will the $100, give or take, that it would cost her to have me provide materials and do all the labor be worth it for the intrinsic value of the hat itself. My knee jerk reaction is not really, but if this one is from the 50's or even early 60's, it might be worth the time and effort to get it back to something close to original.

 

[OldStrummer]

Has anyone had difficulty ordering Akubra hats from Everything Australian? I have been trying without success today to order a Campdraft from them, and no matter how I try, my order always fails after I press the "Place Order" button. I'm trying to use PayPal, which they support, but even trying to change the currency, shipping type, etc. does not work.

I've sent a request to EA for help, but while I'm waiting for a response from the other side of the globe, I thought I'd ask here...

SOLVED. FYI: My PayPal account is linked to my bank account, as is my debit card. My bank will not authorize any out-of-state transactions without my prior approval. Apparently this applies to my PayPal linkage as well. Going back to Everything Australian and putting the charge on my AmEx went through smooth as silk. Now, to sit back and wait until March-April...

 

[deadlyhandsome]

The Temple is now offered in higher grades, a swell, including Excellent (still not open crown, though.

Good to know. If it's made on the same blocks it will have a lot of taper and a relatively short crown. Not a bad hat, but at the price of an Excellent wouldn't someone go for the New York or Stetsonian, or something along those lines?


Selco, I believe, is the US side of a company which markets Tonak hats under that and the Selentino name. These look like they may be 15-20 years old.

Thank you. The seller states they are "from the 1950s," but we all know what undocumented claims are worth. I'm curious as to how Czechoslovakian goods could have been imported during the Cold War, but then there are lots of them so there must have been a way. I'm not sure if these are a 100% beaver hat or some other fur(s). I'm giving it a try as I can always find a resale market for hats in my size if it's not a hat I want to keep.

 

[Frunobulax]

I'm just guessing on the age. As far as I know, they could indeed be traced back to the 50s or so. I think the Selentino Name has only been in existence for a couple of decades. I had previously understood "Selco" to be the importing arm for Selentino. However, I have seen several Selco hats since, and some of them could easily be from the 40s or 50s.

Perhaps Steve (@mayserwegener) has some insight.

 

[Richard Morgan]

@Deadly - Thanks! I'll see if I can dig up the thread on dating this particular model. I agree that the hat might be salvageable. Since I already make custom hats and do renovations (I haven't had this one in my hands yet to make any serious determinations) my concern is more on the lines of, will the $100, give or take, that it would cost her to have me provide materials and do all the labor be worth it for the intrinsic value of the hat itself. My knee jerk reaction is not really, but if this one is from the 50's or even early 60's, it might be worth the time and effort to get it back to something close to original.

Mike, you can buy Gun Clubs in much better condition that this every day on ebay for $50. All of the ones I've seen are from the 70s or later so I doubt it has any vintage value. I've seen several with the black liner and they were 80s or 90s hats or later.

 

[belfastboy]

Has anyone had difficulty ordering Akubra hats from Everything Australian? I have been trying without success today to order a Campdraft from them, and no matter how I try, my order always fails after I press the "Place Order" button. I'm trying to use PayPal, which they support, but even trying to change the currency, shipping type, etc. does not work.

I've sent a request to EA for help, but while I'm waiting for a response from the other side of the globe, I thought I'd ask here...

I just received an email from EA confirming that my Akubra CD has been shipped as scheduled so they are still in business. Perhaps a momentary internet glitch?

 

[OldStrummer]

I just received an email from EA confirming that my Akubra CD has been shipped as scheduled so they are still in business. Perhaps a momentary internet glitch?

No, apparently a security issue with my bank. I need to pre-authorize a foreign transaction before I can use my debit card. My PayPal account is linked to my bank account, too. So neither would go through. AmEx, on the other hand, only sends me a confirmation notice when it's used with no card present, so I did that instead. Campdraft ordered!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I'm just guessing on the age. As far as I know, they could indeed be traced back to the 50s or so. I think the Selentino Name has only been in existence for a couple of decades. I had previously understood "Selco" to be the importing arm for Selentino. However, I have seen several Selco hats since, and some of them could easily be from the 40s or 50s.

Perhaps Steve (@mayserwegener) has some insight.

So where in the history does Hückel fit in? Was it only pre-war? After the war when the industry was socialized did the Hückel name disappear? I guess in the end all that matters is if I like the hats, but I like knowing and it helps build the anticipation while I wait for delivery. Thanks.