Best Panama Hat Book?

[Kaleponi Craig]

I only know of two books about Panama Hats. There is 'The Panama Hat Trail', by Tom Miller and 'Panama, A Legendary Hat', by Martine Buchet. They are very different, The Panama Hat Trail is more like a travel book, no pictures. Panama, A Legendary Hat is a big beautiful coffee table book. There are many, many fantastic pictures of weavers, middle men, folks wearing Panamas in history and great photos of Panamas being made and the finished product. There are some wonderful studio photos of some great hats in all different shapes, both Montecristis and Cuencas. There are a couple of unbelievable pictures of a very old man, a master weaver, weaving a hat. They show great close ups of his hands with his pointed finger nails. When you look through this book it really makes you appreciate the Panama that sits on your head.

I really love this book and recommend it to anyone interested in the subject. There is one on Ebay now, but on Bookfinder.com there are about 20 for sale, starting at $25. Just make sure you get the English edition. It was originally written in French and many of the books are in French.

If anyone has this book, can you tell me who the man is on page 140. Looks like a famous actor, driving a car, with a Panama and Ray Bans.

Thanks, Kaleponi Craig

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Here is the picture I am talking about...

http://public.fotki.com/craigthompson/hats/sscn5521.html

Kaleponi Craig

 

[Panamabob]

I do like that book...the funniest thing is that the guy on page 43 isn't standing in his one of two houses in Montecristi. They show Don Rosendo in a weaver's house...the guy is among the richest in town, one old house, one new house. However, those weaver's houses aren't far off. Some now have very primitive brick building.

 

[gandydancer]

Here is the picture I am talking about...

http://public.fotki.com/craigthompson/hats/sscn5521.html

Kaleponi Craig

If my memory is not flaking out again, I believe that is Tom McCahill (sp?) who was the automobile editor for Mechanix Illustrated back in the 1950's. He was one of those highly opinionated and interesting personalities. Is that an Allard he's driving?

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

I looked in the photo credits in the book and it is Sacha Guitry. When I googled the name, it says, Sacha Guitry. (1885 - 1957) Russian-born French film actor, director, and screenwriter.

Some of his quotes:

"You can pretend to be serious but you can't pretend to be funny".

"When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her. "

"The little I know I owe to my ignorance. "

I have him as my avatar as I think it's just the coolest picture of a guy in a Panama.

Regards, Kaleponi Craig

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Posters A picture is worth a thousand words!

http://artwork.barewalls.com/product/framer.exe?PRODUCTID=18898

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/CORPOD/LW003701.jpg

I have these with my Vintage Montecristi Panama hats.
Not a book but does tell a story.

Order thru the lounge to help support it.

 

[Rundquist]

"Panama, A Legendary Hat" was out of print for a while. It has recently come back out again. You can find it anywhere now. :cheers1:

 

[ckramer]

Books on Panama Hat history?

Hi all,

I'm planning to do a research paper on the panama hat industry. It will be some what of an ethnography on the weavers and also their relationship to the industry world wide (for instance, how has higher demand in the United States and abroad affected their production).

If anyone can recommend any good reading material I would greatly appreciate it!

Gracias a todos,

-ckramer

 

[Andykev]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Panama-Hat-Trail-Miller/dp/0792263863

The Panama Hat Trail, by Miller.

 

[Andykev]

http://www.brentblack.com/pages/aboutus_preface.html

Panama, a Legendary Hat.