Capello and Borsalino hats

[Stoney]

I just received these hats yesterday. I have not seen any other threads with an example of a Francato Capello so I'm posting these pictures for those who may be interested. Based on the Borsalino information in other threads, I'm dating this one as made in 1963. The Capello is similar in feel and appearance, it may have been made somewhere around the same time period.

Top view of Borsalino San Remo

Top view of Francato Capello

Side view of Borsalino San Remo

Side view of Francato Capello. Note wind cord was removed at some time.

Borsalino San Remo front view

Francato Capello Fronto view

Borsalino liner

Capello liner

Borsalino band and bow

Capello band and bow

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I was going to post this on "What hat are you wearing, today?" But I decided to do some research and found this previous thread.

The hat is marked "Francato Capello, Qualitia Superiore, Freed Hat Company." The sweat band had dry rotted to the point that it had to be replaced. I was able to clean the rest up, keeping the original ribbon and liner (both of which were starting to become fragile).

I'm still not sure how I feel about it. The felt is thicker than most Borsalinos, and the brim has lost its snap (if it ever had it). The teardrop does seem to have been its original crease. It's one of those hats that looks better in photos than it does in the mirror!

 

[bolthead]

JT, did you sew in the new sweat yourself?

 

[J.T.Marcus]

bolthead, Yes, I did sew the sweatband in myself. I haven't quite mastered that neat seam and bow in back, so I tend to simply overlap my ends in back. (This is a brand new sweatband, not a pirated used one.) One of these days, I may work on that back seam, but for the moment, I'm going with function. After a few wearings the ends lay perfectly flat, and don't look too bad.

 

[indycop]

Nice JT!:eusa_clap

 

[Mr E Train]

I got this Francato Cappello fedora on eBay recently. I'm thinking it might be late 50's or early 60's.

It's a very well made hat with excellent felt. I liked the shape of the Francato block, but with the 2 inch brim the hat looked out of proportion to me, which isn't unusual for stingy brimmed hats of the period. I only like 2-inch brims with a pork pie shaped crown, so I decided to bash it into a pork pie shape. Being a fan of the French Connection movies, it occurred to me that the color, ribbon width and brim width would make it a good candidate for a Popeye Doyle pinched pork pie.

I know Jeff Connors has some Francatos, so maybe he'll chime in here.

 

[Mr E Train]

Oh yeah, the Freed & Company hatbox.

 

[besdor]

The hat looks to be American made. The quality from the 1950's was fantastic on some of the USA made hats. There was little reason to buy Italian made hats until the USA companies started to go out of business.

steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[Mr E Train]

The hat looks to be American made.

What makes you say that, Steven, other than the obviously American (or English) size tags, "Royal Beaver" designation and "Freed Hat Company" copyright? Well, as I write that, I can see what you're saying. Why would "Francato Cappello" be a copyright of Freed Hat Company if it's an Italian hat maker? There's not much information on Francato Cappello other than on the Classic Hat Makers List thread where it just says it's "a quality hat-maker with product comparable to Borsalino." The comparison to that vaunted hat maker is a little leading, isn't it?

I had assumed it was an Italian company that made hats for export to the USA to be sold by Freed & Co., but the copyright makes me question that. Not that I care, really, because I have no particular jones for Italian hats; I just like good hats. And it's a good hat.

The quality from the 1950's was fantastic on some of the USA made hats.

Well, that's an understatement! So, do you think it's 50's?

There was little reason to buy Italian made hats until the USA companies started to go out of business.

Assuming the hat's American made, why would they make a fake Italian hat? Were they trying to capture some of the cachet of Borsalino, cornering some of the market that preferred Italian hats? And if there wasn't an Italian hat maker called Francato Cappello, who actually made the hats for Freed & Co.? That's a question that may be lost to the ages.

 

[Mr E Train]

My in-laws and brother-in-law visited several weeks ago, and when we were out at a restaurant, my brother-in-law kept taking my hat (a Dobbs Soul, which I had taken off because I don't wear my hat at table) and putting it on. I always snap the brim down when I put it on, but he's not a hat wearer, so it didn't even occur to him to turn it down, but I thought the look suited him. He seemed a natural for a pork pie hat. I also noticed that he has a big melon head like mine.

During his stay, he started to get ill. He and his folks drove back to Virginia, and he was so sick when they got there that they had to take him to the hospital. It turned out that he had a subdural hematoma, presumably from a bump on the head he had received a couple of weeks before and shrugged off. He had to have surgery, which of course left a large scar on his head. I got to thinking that he could use a hat to help cover up the scar. Plus, his birthday was coming up (it's today, actually).

I love the Francato Cappello above; it's a well-made hat and the felt is amazing, but I couldn't quite get it to work for me because of the stingy 2-inch brim. However, I thought it would be perfect for him. I wet the crown and worked the pinch out of it and re-creased it as a standard pork pie/telescope and mailed it off to him the other day. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me to snap any pics of it before I shipped it off, but I wish I had because it looked much better than it did. I didn't do a bad job if I do say so myself. A little while ago I got word from him that he received it today, and that he loves it. He said that he needs to find a black one to wear with different outfits! I'm glad he liked it and appreciated it, and that I may have created another hat enthusiast. I just told him to treat it well, because that's some damn good felt!

 

[jbucklin]

That was really cool of you to do that Mr. E Train. He's lucky to have you as a brother-in-law! :eusa_clap

 

[Mr E Train]

Thanks, jb. My bro-in-law is recovering well, by the way. I'll have to see if he'll send me a pic of him with it on his noggin.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Watta great BIL you are! Glad to hear of the happy outcome as well of course. Steer him this way. TFL can always use another voice, eh?

 

[Mr E Train]

A friend of his posted this on Facebook. Apparently he is enjoying life and the new hat!

 

[Rodkins]

Here's a Francato Cappello I found recently. Funny little hat.