Boater faction!

[Cordite Blues]

spring selection is in at HtheH

Henry the Hatter, on Broadway (and in Southfield), carries the Italian jobs. I fondled one last fall when they were on clearance and would have purchased, but they were out of 7 1/2.

-Dave

I just bought one from Henry the Hatter last week, shortly after the season's order arrived. All sizes were available, even mine (7 7/8). Nice people to deal with. The old photos of Jack Demsey, Max Baer (the boxer, not the hillbilly) and other notables are a treat to see, too.

CB.

 

[Al Niente]

Henry the Hatter is were I go for all my hats. I have been waiting for the boaters. Better go there tomorrow!

 

[Mr E Train]

Henry the Hatter is were I go for all my hats. I have been waiting for the boaters. Better go there tomorrow!

You're so lucky to live in a city that has a good hat store.

 

[David Conwill]

You're so lucky to live in a city that has a good hat store.

Without straying too far off topic, Detroit really is a cool city, despite what you might read in the newspapers.

HtH is really Michigan’s hat store, as there isn’t another one in the whole state that I’m aware of.

-Dave

 

[Mr E Train]

Without straying too far off topic, Detroit really is a cool city, despite what you might read in the newspapers.

HtH is really Michigan’s hat store, as there isn’t another one in the whole state that I’m aware of.

-Dave

I wasn't being facetious, although I was aware that it might be taken that way.

 

[David Conwill]

I wasn't being facetious, although I was aware that it might be taken that way.

I actually didn’t take it that way. It was more like a “If you think that’s cool, you should see the rest of the city” kind of deal.

FL’ers would love Detroit, as it’s kind of a time capsule of historic architecture. I’ve been told it has the largest collection of pre-Depression skyscrapers in the world.

-Dave

 

[fluteplayer07]

Been trying to organize a Michigander FL meeting for a while...

 

[adamjaskie]

I might just have to go see if they have one in my size soon. I work right near HtH, haven't actually gone there yet though.

 

[David Conwill]

Been trying to organize a Michigander FL meeting for a while...

This is the first I've heard of it, but being how I use the board, I guess that's not surprising. I'd be interested.

-Dave

 

[Al Niente]

What luck, yesterday! A truck took out three power poles and the power went out in the area, including my work place! I had to be downtown (Detroit) for a dress rehearsal at the opera house (Mozart's Don Giovanni) which just HAPPENS to be two blocks from Henry the Hatter's downtown store! Ah, the Hat Gods at work. Got off work early and had plenty of time to go there and purchase a boater. After reading about all the Detroiters here buying boaters, I didnt' want them to run out of my size...or at lest that is my story and I am sticking with it.

What a great hat store. No, make that a great place, period. Anyone visiting Detroit should make it a point to go there or the Southfield store. I get all new hats there and they have helped me out on my vintage ones, too.

Anyway, the boater is made by Tessi in Italy. It is a very nice, quality hat. Love the way the leather sweat is stiched on by a web, so the hat literally "floats" on your head. Hey, maybe that is why they call it a boater! (Please, it's just a pun...no history lessons!) [huh]

Still a little cold and rainy out there for the straw. Can't wait till it warms up!

We should have a FL meeting in Detroit. I am interested, too.

 

[Mr E Train]

Alright, I got my boater from Hugestore.com. It's nice to have one that fits me (I ordered a 7 5/8...a little snug, but I have a feeling that with a 7 3/4 it would just sit on the top of my head with without enough friction on the sides to make me feel that it would stay on my head.) Although I like the way it looks, I'm rather disappointed because it's a Scala, and they sell on eBay for under 50 bucks every day of the week, and I paid almost $80 after shipping and an extra $7 because it was an extended size. The thing I don't like about it is that the brim isn't straight, and that was why I didn't want to get a Scala in the first place, because I've yet to see one that had a perfectly straight brim (sorry, Big_e). I'm sending it back, but I took a couple of pics before boxing it back up. Despite my disappointment, don't I look happy (at least in the first pic)?

I've got a couple of other irons in the fire, though, including the vintage Battersby from eBay, which should be forthcoming shortly (and that hopefully will fit). I will have complete boater satisfaction one of these days!

 

[Big_e]

All this time I thought it was the roundness of my head that was causing the bend. Is the Scala thinner than other boaters you've examined? I really want to buy another one from a different maker to see if theres a difference. I'm checking ebay for vintage sells. I may just try Miller hats.
Ernest

Alright, I got my boater from Hugestore.com. It's nice to have one that fits me (I ordered a 7 5/8...a little snug, but I have a feeling that with a 7 3/4 it would just sit on the top of my head with without enough friction on the sides to make me feel that it would stay on my head.) Although I like the way it looks, I'm rather disappointed because it's a Scala, and they sell on eBay for under 50 bucks every day of the week, and I paid almost $80 after shipping and an extra $7 because it was an extended size. The thing I don't like about it is that the brim isn't straight, and that was why I didn't want to get a Scala in the first place, because I've yet to see one that had a perfectly straight brim (sorry, Big_e). I'm sending it back, but I took a couple of pics before boxing it back up. Despite my disappointment, don't I look happy (at least in the first pic)?

I've got a couple of other irons in the fire, though, including the vintage Battersby from eBay, which should be forthcoming shortly (and that hopefully will fit). I will have complete boater satisfaction one of these days!

 

[Mr E Train]

All this time I thought it was the roundness of my head that was causing the bend. Is the Scala thinner than other boaters you've examined? I really want to buy another one from a different maker to see if theres a difference. I'm checking ebay for vintage sells. I may just try Miller hats.
Ernest

I do like the Scala; I think it looks pretty good and it's comfortable, but I don't like that I paid too much for it, and I don't like the crookedness of the brim. It's not your head, they all seem to be like that. I see it in every picture I see of the Scala boaters; the brim doesn't jut straight out at a 90 degree angle, it slopes down a little. It's actually thicker than the Olney I had in my possession briefly, but it feels less solid and stiff. You can bend it a little bit, whereas the Olney wouldn't give at all.

Ernest, if the Dobbs I just won on eBay turns out to be too small for me, I'm going to let you have the first crack at it, I promise.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150430059019

 

[Big_e]

Deal! I do like the looks of that and the fact that you can put any kind of hat band on it without messing with the original one.
Ernest

I do like the Scala; I think it looks pretty good and it's comfortable, but I don't like that I paid too much for it, and I don't like the crookedness of the brim. It's not your head, they all seem to be like that. I see it in every picture I see of the Scala boaters; the brim doesn't jut straight out at a 90 degree angle, it slopes down a little. It's actually thicker than the Olney I had in my possession briefly, but it feels less solid and stiff. You can bend it a little bit, whereas the Olney wouldn't give at all.

Ernest, if the Dobbs I just won on eBay turns out to be too small for me, I'm going to let you have the first crack at it, I promise.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150430059019

 

[Mr E Train]

I'd like to find some ribbon like this for it. This is an Archer that someone posted in this thread earlier, similar contruction.

I'll probably go with plain black ribbon, though.

Here's an almost identical Dobbs that just ended on eBay. It looks more beat up, but it has the ribbon.

 

[Mr E Train]

I mailed the Scala boater back to where it came from today and then took my first trip to The Executive Shop in downtown Atlanta. They had a pretty decent selection of hats, including Ponte Rialto boaters from Italy. Big improvement in quality over the Scala. It is stiff and substantial, the way it should be, whereas the Scala was sort of flimsy feeling. I usually wear a 7 3/4, but the one I tried felt too loose, so I went with the 7 5/8, which fit perfectly. Looks good, feels good, I think I'll keep it.

 

[Big_e]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap Great looking hat! Now I know my quest isn't in vain. I must seek a better hat! (at least thats a good excuse to add another boater or 2 to my collection). It's really a big hit around these parts. I'm getting lots of compliments.
Ernest

I mailed the Scala boater back to where it came from today and then took my first trip to The Executive Shop in downtown Atlanta. They had a pretty decent selection of hats, including Ponte Rialto boaters from Italy. Big improvement in quality over the Scala. It is stiff and substantial, the way it should be, whereas the Scala was sort of flimsy feeling. I usually wear a 7 3/4, but the one I tried felt too loose, so I went with the 7 5/8, which fit perfectly. Looks good, feels good, I think I'll keep it.

 

[carldelo]

The boater looks good Mr. E. - it's certainly good to be able to put your hands on a hat before you buy it. Also good to hear the Executive Shop is still there and has some selection for our big melons - I may be down that way in the near future.

fftopic: Also, a belated thanks for posting about the Hat Guys - I found a Stetson Hampton in graphite in my size at a reasonable price (it's a discontinued model). They were great to deal with, and the hat is a winner - I'll post it eventually. Ok, back to grading papers....

 

[Mr E Train]

Thanks, and you're welcome!

 

[Mr E Train]

Un-FRICKIN-believable

I received my Battersby boater today from eBay imbecile jaceyc123. It's a "Batter"sby all right, it's battered all to hell. Experience the devastation, if you dare:

Maybe it's because the idiot seller decided to send it all the way from Wales packaged in nothing but this:

That's bubble wrap and some kind of garbage bag-like material, in case you're wondering. What the hell did they think was going to happen?

I'd be more upset about it if it would actually have come close to fitting my head. The seller said the circumference was 24 inches; yes, from the outside, which I thought I had already gotten clarification on. I'll be starting the eBay buyer protection dispute process as soon as I'm done venting. The sad part is that it would have been a nice boater for somebody once it had been cleaned up. The weave is very nice. Argh.