AbridgedPause
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 141
- Location
- Montreal, Canada
*Plenty of pictures at the bottom, but please read the full disclosure*
Price: Best Offer + actual cost of shipping (or trades)
Specifications
Colour: Medium-light gray
Hat Size: 7 1/4 (real size), 7 1/8 (labeled)
Brim Width: 2 1/8 inches front and back, 2 inches on the sides
Open Crown Height: 5 inches at the front, 4 1/2 inches at the back
Sweatband Width: 1 3/4 inches
Ribbon Width: 1 3/8 inches
Date: Late 1950's (claimed purchase 1958)
Manufacture: Biltmore Hats Limited
Sweatband Text
Carter
Self Conforming
Cushioned Leather
Canada Pat. No. 354269
Styles By
Joe Feller
Ottawa
Lining Text
Styles By
Joe Feller
Ottawa
Full Disclosure
The person whom I purchased this hat from on Kijiji was not honest. So I will do my best to describe this hat as accurately as I can.
The guy told me that his dad had purchased this hat for him in 1958 for his high school graduation present. The dating of the hat seems accurate. Where he was dishonest was about the dimensions. He listed the hat with a brim width of 2 1/2 inches, but in reality it's 2 1/8 inches. Upon closer inspection, it's obvious that the brim was amputated at some point. There are also 2 small moth nibbles near the edge of the brim.
The size of this hat is in Canadian/UK sizing, not USA. So although the label in the hat says 7 1/8, I can assure you that it fits like a USA 7 1/4. It's too big for me and I wear 7 1/8. I also have a 7 3/8 hat in the house, so I was able to compare the sizes.
I would guess that this is a rabbit/hare felt hat. The felt is rather thick, definitely a winter hat and not a summer one. I'd compare the thickness of this felt to my darker (brown, black) Akubra country hats (Snowy River, Down Under). It's the same thickness as those hats, but more pliable.
The hat is open crown now but you can tell that it once had a nice diamond crease. The remnants of the diamond crease and a wide front pinch are still there.
This hat was made for Joe Feller's men's clothing store in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (the biggest/most reputable men's clothing store during its time) by Biltmore Hats Limited, of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Although the Biltmore name doesn't appear in the hat, this is confirmed by the United Hatters, Cap & Millinery Workers International Union stamp found under the lining. The tag is stamped Local No. 82, which was Biltmore's factory number in the Union.
The satin lining is still in great condition. The protective plastic is what some call "onion skin", the old fashioned one. The onion skin shows signs of age/dirt and is split in one spot but is still complete. The logo under the onion skin, on the satin lining, is still intact with no fading of the ink.
Perhaps the nicest thing about this hat is the Carter detachable leather sweatband (discussed in this thread). The sweatband isn't sewn around the hat but rather it is attached by buttons. The leather is still really soft and pliable and I've been conditioning it along with my other hats on a regular basis. There are a few minor cracks in the sweatband. The stitching where the two ends of the sweatband meet at the back of the hat is starting to fray, but the eyelets (holes in the leather) are intact. There is no ripping. It's just the thread that's coming out. That can easily be fixed and I would be happy to resew it for someone before shipping. But I thought that my pictures and description should be honest and reflect the actual, current condition of the hat.
I'm giving full disclosure about this hat because I didn't enjoy being mislead when I purchased it and I don't want anyone else to feel like that if they get it from me. I paid $100 CAD for this hat 2 years ago ($80 for the hat + $20 for shipping). When I asked for my money back, the guy on Kijiji told me to go to hell... So I know that I'll never make my money back for it. I just want this hat to go to a good home, with someone who can be happy with it, or do something with it.
I'm open to any offers or trades.
I can figure out the exact cost of shipping from home since I have a business shipping account with Canada Post (including a company discount) and a kitchen scale.
Interested parties please send a private message.
Any questions or suggestion, please don't be shy!
-Alex
Pictures (in several posts because of restriction)
*for full-resolution images, you may also view this Google Photos album.
Price: Best Offer + actual cost of shipping (or trades)
Specifications
Colour: Medium-light gray
Hat Size: 7 1/4 (real size), 7 1/8 (labeled)
Brim Width: 2 1/8 inches front and back, 2 inches on the sides
Open Crown Height: 5 inches at the front, 4 1/2 inches at the back
Sweatband Width: 1 3/4 inches
Ribbon Width: 1 3/8 inches
Date: Late 1950's (claimed purchase 1958)
Manufacture: Biltmore Hats Limited
Sweatband Text
Carter
Self Conforming
Cushioned Leather
Canada Pat. No. 354269
Styles By
Joe Feller
Ottawa
Lining Text
Styles By
Joe Feller
Ottawa
Full Disclosure
The person whom I purchased this hat from on Kijiji was not honest. So I will do my best to describe this hat as accurately as I can.
The guy told me that his dad had purchased this hat for him in 1958 for his high school graduation present. The dating of the hat seems accurate. Where he was dishonest was about the dimensions. He listed the hat with a brim width of 2 1/2 inches, but in reality it's 2 1/8 inches. Upon closer inspection, it's obvious that the brim was amputated at some point. There are also 2 small moth nibbles near the edge of the brim.
The size of this hat is in Canadian/UK sizing, not USA. So although the label in the hat says 7 1/8, I can assure you that it fits like a USA 7 1/4. It's too big for me and I wear 7 1/8. I also have a 7 3/8 hat in the house, so I was able to compare the sizes.
I would guess that this is a rabbit/hare felt hat. The felt is rather thick, definitely a winter hat and not a summer one. I'd compare the thickness of this felt to my darker (brown, black) Akubra country hats (Snowy River, Down Under). It's the same thickness as those hats, but more pliable.
The hat is open crown now but you can tell that it once had a nice diamond crease. The remnants of the diamond crease and a wide front pinch are still there.
This hat was made for Joe Feller's men's clothing store in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (the biggest/most reputable men's clothing store during its time) by Biltmore Hats Limited, of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Although the Biltmore name doesn't appear in the hat, this is confirmed by the United Hatters, Cap & Millinery Workers International Union stamp found under the lining. The tag is stamped Local No. 82, which was Biltmore's factory number in the Union.
The satin lining is still in great condition. The protective plastic is what some call "onion skin", the old fashioned one. The onion skin shows signs of age/dirt and is split in one spot but is still complete. The logo under the onion skin, on the satin lining, is still intact with no fading of the ink.
Perhaps the nicest thing about this hat is the Carter detachable leather sweatband (discussed in this thread). The sweatband isn't sewn around the hat but rather it is attached by buttons. The leather is still really soft and pliable and I've been conditioning it along with my other hats on a regular basis. There are a few minor cracks in the sweatband. The stitching where the two ends of the sweatband meet at the back of the hat is starting to fray, but the eyelets (holes in the leather) are intact. There is no ripping. It's just the thread that's coming out. That can easily be fixed and I would be happy to resew it for someone before shipping. But I thought that my pictures and description should be honest and reflect the actual, current condition of the hat.
I'm giving full disclosure about this hat because I didn't enjoy being mislead when I purchased it and I don't want anyone else to feel like that if they get it from me. I paid $100 CAD for this hat 2 years ago ($80 for the hat + $20 for shipping). When I asked for my money back, the guy on Kijiji told me to go to hell... So I know that I'll never make my money back for it. I just want this hat to go to a good home, with someone who can be happy with it, or do something with it.
I'm open to any offers or trades.
I can figure out the exact cost of shipping from home since I have a business shipping account with Canada Post (including a company discount) and a kitchen scale.
Interested parties please send a private message.
Any questions or suggestion, please don't be shy!
-Alex
Pictures (in several posts because of restriction)
*for full-resolution images, you may also view this Google Photos album.
Last edited:
