Bone Colored Borsalino

[Wild Root]

All I know is that hat is one of the most lovely hats I have seen and touched! Say, you know, it does good with MY tie in that photo! LOL

Matt has the hat collection, I have a tie collection to beat the band! I counted one time that I have over 130 vintage ties from the 20's to the early 50's. I just picked up a really rere 1934 NRA tie. NRA as in National Recovery Act. Part of F.D.R's New Deal. It has a tag with this logo on it.

I'll be posting some photos some time soon for you all to see.

Regards.

Root.

 

[havershaw]

Root:
What are you doing up at this hour?

Come to think of it, what am I doing up at this hour?

 

[Wild Root]

Havershaw, good to see that I wasn't the only night owl aroud. Well, I had nothing to do and I just was trying to get the most of my Labor Day.

Root.

PS. I like the new avitar!

 

[Michaelson]

Your new Borsalino has all the lines and appearance of the light brown version I picked up early this summer, and have worn religiously ever since Fedora reblocked and relined it for me. One fine hat, and VERY comfortable for warm weather wear. Regards. Michaelson

 

[Matt Deckard]

That is the most common style of vintage Borsalino I find.
Same shape crown, brim width and Cavanagh edge. Some have vents in the sweat some don't. Sold in various felt qualities.

I wish I lived in the days where you could go to a department store and ask to see the upper end hats and they'd point you over to a rack in the corner under a sign that says $30, next to a 3 way mirror.

 

[Wild Root]

I think when you wanted to see a hat, you would ask to see one and the man would bring out a few in their boxes and you would see which one fit. I don't think they had a hat rack, but, I could be wrong.

See ya,

Root.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Hey... it's my wish!

Maybe it was like a shoe store... "do you have this one in my size?"

"I swear I'm a size 7 1/8"
"we're sorry sir that's not your size"
"Like hell it ain't"
"It'll fit; you got a hat horn?"

 

[Wild Root]

Hat horn LOL LOL LOL !

So funny.

Root.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Speaking of Borsalinos, I just got sniped on that white Borsalino on ebay. Big time -- two snipes outbid me in the last 15 seconds. Bummer.

Oh, well, try again some other time.

karol

 

[Matt Deckard]

Can you show me the link?

 

[Andykev]

How many apples at 5 cents to buy a hat?

Originally posted by Matt Deckard
I wish I lived in the days where you could go to a department store and ask to see the upper end hats and they'd point you over to a rack in the corner under a sign that says $30, next to a 3 way mirror.

Well, you can do that in Chicago, but it won't be for $30.:cry:

You can do that at Art's, but they are not new, yet very mint. The customs are new. But it won't be for $30

And does anyone have any idea just how many folks in the 30's during the Great Depression that just had to make do with their "old faithful" worn felt friend? The one which kept you covered on that park bench last night. There was a reason you look in those old ads and catalogs where a lot of hats sold for $4.25.

I just wonder if I went "back in time", and I agree the clothes and hats and cars were great, but where would I be in the "food chain". Just a fun thought.

 

[Wild Root]

Good point. I have thought of the same thing. Right now it seems that I'm living a depression life style. I make just enough cash to cover my bills, I drive a Plymouth, (Low priced car of the period) I wear used clothes,LOL and I can't afford the nicer things in life at the moment.

I guess I live like a guy did that was lucky to keep a decent job and afford a car and a place.

Root.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I had a friend who was a school teacher during the depression and made $15 a month (in Iowa).

My guess is that a hat costing $30 then would be at least equivalent to someone paying well over $200 today, as I did for my custom fedora. And, in many cases, that was several month's wages.

But, I bet a lot more of those hats were better made.

Also, my grandfather got his clothes out of a Salvation Army store. Everyone knew that when rich folks needed to discard their extra clothes (or if someone died), they took their stuff to the Salvation Army. Now, it all gets picked clean by 2nd hand boutiques and you find very very little quality.

My parents used to buy things on layaway? Anyone remember layaway?

karol

 

[Andykev]

I remember ...or fill in the blanks?

This is probably off the hat topic, but as a child, seven of us, in the late 50's early 60's...my mother enjoyed going to the "Good Will" store. We were not poor, but back then, the clothes were far better made, and you got great deals (5o cents for a shirt) type of thing. When you have seven kids, all growing (ok maybe me not too tall)....you had to make ends meed.

We never went without, and God Bless my parents and family for "golden memories'.

I have been to the local thrift shops and good will. The thrift shop had some beautiful vintage suits, but they were too tall or too small.

You can still find good bargains. However, it is nothing like the early days.

OK, so now I remove the rose colored glasses.

 

[jamespowers]

Re: How many apples at 5 cents to buy a hat?

Originally posted by Andykev
Well, you can do that in Chicago, but it won't be for $30.:cry:
You can do that at Art's, but they are not new, yet very mint. The customs are new. But it won't be for $30

Ok, I just got the shock of my life! I entered the $30 in an inflation adjuster calculator andf found that $30 in 1933 would equal $420 today! Even in 1945, $30 was equal to $305 today!
Go ahead and check it out for yourself at:
http://money.cnn.com/2003/09/11/pf/saving/price_of_wow/index.htm
Scroll to the bottom of the article and enter your desired figure for conversion. I am not going to complain anymore about vintage prices. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[Matt Deckard]

Little more than it costs for an Optimo today.

Vintage still beats out any modern hat I've ever worn bar none.
I doubt the quality will ever be as high again as it was in the 30's.

I think those hats were the pinacle of felt making.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Some better pics.

 

[jamespowers]

Hey nice! The inside of yours looks the same as the inside of mine. I have two browns and one green/gray with the same liner. The felt is very nice quality and you can do whatever you like with them. They are pliable enough to style as you wish.
Enjoy it. You have a unique find.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Matt Deckard]

I have 2 others with the same liner, a brown and the grey. I have another grey one with a blue oval logo and a wider brim that looks like it could be late 20's.

I was thoroughly dissappointed when I bought a modern one and paid through the nose expecting quality the new felt they make turns to mush if worn in the rain. My boss had the same experience with his modern Borsalino. We found out the hard way. It has to be the worst fur felt I have seen made today.

When it comes to Borsalinos, only the vintage are aces with me.
Borsalino used to make fantastic hats...Used to!

 

[Brad Bowers]

Matt,

That is a very beautiful hat! Love the color, it's what I'm keeping my eyes open for.

Brad Bowers