Cavanagh vs Bollman vs Sterkowski vs D'aquino

[Gustavo]

After a long research on fedoras, I finally decided to get a fedora. Four options arose, which are a Cavanagh from the 1950s , brand new old stock, black sweatband (a friend told me he could sell it to me for 65 $ including shipping , I will post photos ), black sweatband , fur felt.

There is also a Bollman from their heritage collection, 1930s, technically it is a trilby.

link here : https://www.hats.com/bollman-collection-1930-s-trilby.html

A d'aquino, also fur felt :

https://www.etsy.com/es/listing/126...-estilo-sombrero-clasico?ref=shop_home_feat_1

And last , but not least, a Sterkowski Mosca, also fur felt

https://sterkowski.com/hats/569-mos...rim-fedora-grey.html#/color-gray/size-58_cm_l

How do these four compare in style and quality, I mean, for example, are they 1940s style , kind of like public enemies, etc. Or different. If possible, please post photos so that I may get a good idea.

And in quality , can anybody make a comparison between the fur felts, please

Photos are of the cavanagh

Brim of cavanagh is 1 and 3/4 inches. Just in case

 

[Gustavo]

All are fur felts, just in case !

 

[moehawk]

If those are your only four choices, go with the D'Aquino.
The Cavanagh looks 70's or newer. I had a newer Cav Homburg, the felt wasn't as nice as the vintage. The Sterkowski would be my second choice. I would avoid the Bollman.
Check out the threads here dedicated to custom hatters like Art Fawcett and Black Sheep, to name a couple. Many are Lounge members and can answer your hat questions quickly and accurately. Plus make you something much nicer for not a whole lot more than some of those you linked to.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Gustavo]

If those are your only four choices, go with the D'Aquino.
The Cavanagh looks 70's or newer. I had a newer Cav Homburg, the felt wasn't as nice as the vintage. The Sterkowski would be my second choice. I would avoid the Bollman.
Check out the threads here dedicated to custom hatters like Art Fawcett and Black Sheep, to name a couple. Many are Lounge members and can answer your hat questions quickly and accurately. Plus make you something much nicer for not a whole lot more than some of those you linked to.
Just my 2 cents.

Thanks, do you know anybody who can make a rabbit fur felt fedora for less a than 120 $. And also..... what is exactly the problem with the bollman , low quality ?

 

[moehawk]

To the first, no. But if you check the custom hatter threads, they should have links to websites with pricing included in the information.
The Bollman products that I have experience with were of low quality materials and poor construction. Mostly Bailey branded hats (Bailey is owned by them) , but a few Bollman branded ones as well. I know nothing about their new stuff, but I would just have to assume that they are still low quality felt with machine pressed creases and cheap sweatbands.
One thing you might want to do, if you haven't already, is visit the closest hat store and try on a bunch of different styles and brim widths to see what looks best on you before you spend a bunch of money on a hat that you may later decide does't suit you.
Most likely though, after you buy one you will be like most of us here and find yourself wondering how you suddenly found yourself with 147 vintage hats and still want another.
Oh, btw welcome to the Lounge.

 

[Frunobulax]

What @moehawk said. As an aside, I own two D'Aquinos. Nice hats, and at a reasonable price. The hatter will work with you on specs but is more limited than a true custom.

Can't speak much to Bollman, but I thought all their hats were wool. I did not even know you could get a Bollman fur felt.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

After a long research on fedoras, I finally decided to get a fedora. Four options arose, which are a Cavanagh from the 1950s , brand new old stock, black sweatband (a friend told me he could sell it to me for 65 $ including shipping , I will post photos ), black sweatband , fur felt.

There is also a Bollman from their heritage collection, 1930s, technically it is a trilby.

link here : https://www.hats.com/bollman-collection-1930-s-trilby.html

A d'aquino, also fur felt :

https://www.etsy.com/es/listing/126...-estilo-sombrero-clasico?ref=shop_home_feat_1

And last , but not least, a Sterkowski Mosca, also fur felt

https://sterkowski.com/hats/569-mos...rim-fedora-grey.html#/color-gray/size-58_cm_l

How do these four compare in style and quality, I mean, for example, are they 1940s style , kind of like public enemies, etc. Or different. If possible, please post photos so that I may get a good idea.

And in quality , can anybody make a comparison between the fur felts, please

Photos are of the cavanagh

Brim of cavanagh is 1 and 3/4 inches. Just in case

Are you looking for a stingy brim? At your size a little time on eBay will reward you with a good selection of quality vintage hats. I have a couple D’Aquino hats and I’m not impressed. If you want new, have you considered a new Stetson from one of the outlets? As to Bollmam, all I’ve seen from them are low quality hats. My only exposure to Sterkowski is their caps which are quite decent.

My advice: go vintage.


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[deadlyhandsome]

This is my first D’Aquino. It looks decent, but the build quality is pretty mediocre. I have another I had VS rebuild, but when you add in the rebuild cost I could have had a real custom built.

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[Roadopen]

I've seen/held three with only the D'Aquino in pictures/reviews.
I'd say a tie between the Cavanagh and the Bollman but the Bollman's are making great quality fur/felt as of late, great examples are the Bailey's of Hollywood > Poet/Breed/Est.1922 .
The Cavanagh I've only seen earlier models and they are great as well.
The Sterkowski is good as well but last on my list as mediocre but on the flimsy side and could be better.

RO

 

[jlee562]

I doubt that Cav is 50's based on the plastic liner top and lack leather sweat, both of which were common in the 60's.

As far as styling, do you want a "40's style" hat? I tend to associate the 40's with the 'classic ' Stetson models like the Whippet, Open Road, and Stratoliner (these are my associations, ymmv).

Public Enemies was set during the 30's if we are being precise. Are you searching for a 'gangster' hat? I think the popular conception of the 20's-30's hats leans heavily towards an un-tapered crown, and many of us favor that look. Lots of period photos show that tapered crowns with side dents (somewhat resembling what we know as the cattleman's crease) seemed to be equally, if not more popular, than the straight crown.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It’s all so subjective. What’s fine with some is a steaming pile of excrement to another. The Cavanagh in the photo you included is very 1960s Rat Pack-ish and are fairly common and fairly inexpensive in your size. Vintage is the way to go (for my preferences).


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[Gustavo]

I doubt that Cav is 50's based on the plastic liner top and lack leather sweat, both of which were common in the 60's.

As far as styling, do you want a "40's style" hat? I tend to associate the 40's with the 'classic ' Stetson models like the Whippet, Open Road, and Stratoliner (these are my associations, ymmv).

Public Enemies was set during the 30's if we are being precise. Are you searching for a 'gangster' hat? I think the popular conception of the 20's-30's hats leans heavily towards an un-tapered crown, and many of us favor that look. Lots of period photos show that tapered crowns with side dents (somewhat resembling what we know as the cattleman's crease) seemed to be equally, if not more popular, than the straight crown.

Yes..... a gangster hat style could describe the style I am looking for. The stetson styles described, seem a bit more cowboyish/indiana jones than what I look for ( I actually have an indiana jones hat, It has too much brim). I mean something more city-like 1940s.

Nor the typical trilbies/tyrol hat, I actually have 2 of those, one of which is sterkowski (good quality and good measure of comparison, too little brim for a fedora).

I mean more 1940s

Kinda like this

I guess this is somehow 1940s/1930s look. Guess a image says a thousand words

 

[Roadopen]

....................just to get an idea of what is the 1920's vintage mug shots and alike with Gangster hats, thus it will be similar to the 50's as they looked to be a little oversized which is what makes them distinctive.








This last picture shows Machine Gun Kelly being escorted with handcuffs.
Now that's a Gangster Fedora. The kind of hat I lean towards to.


RO

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Yes..... a gangster hat style could describe the style I am looking for. The stetson styles described, seem a bit more cowboyish/indiana jones than what I look for ( I actually have an indiana jones hat, It has too much brim). I mean something more city-like 1940s.

Nor the typical trilbies/tyrol hat, I actually have 2 of those, one of which is sterkowski (good quality and good measure of comparison, too little brim for a fedora).

I mean more 1940s

Kinda like this

I guess this is somehow 1940s/1930s look. Guess a image says a thousand words

Your photo is very much the same as an “Indiana Jones” hat with a snap brim still flanged to allow it to snap. The hat in the photo has roughly the same brim width as the hat you think has too much brim.

If you want a more modestly proportioned hat that is reminiscent of the era, look for one that has a 2 3/8 to 2 1/2 inch brim. Have you looked at or considered the Akubra “Fedora” or the Stylemaster? In my opinion, they are better quality than anything made by Bollman and they are bargain priced.

https://everythingaustralian.com.au/stylemaster.html




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[Roadopen]

You gotta go bigger and wider brim with staggered sides and front.

In haven’t come across any smaller gangster hats that were less than 2.5 brim sides or front.
Besides? it don’t look right!

If IJ is the look you want then as above mentioned would be the Akubra FED IV would be your best bet.

RO

 

[deadlyhandsome]

You gotta go bigger and wider brim with staggered sides and front.

In haven’t come across any smaller gangster hats that were less than 2.5 brim sides or front.
Besides? it don’t look right!

If IJ is the look you want then as above mentioned would be the Akubra FED IV would be your best bet.

RO

He said his Indy hat hat too much brim for his tastes so perhaps not. The Fed IV can be too much hat for those who don’t like the tall crowns and wider brims.


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[Roadopen]

......it is something you have to get used to as they all have their purpose in wear along with style.

Stingy brims and Trilby’s are nice but you will be limited to the brim size unless you go CUSTOM

RO

 

[jlee562]

I mean, you say 40's, but the subtext here I think Brent had pegged earlier. If the Cavanagh is a style you like, you're looking for a 60's -ish stingy brim. eBay is your friend.

The illustration probably is modeled off a hat more like a Fed or a whippet. The Fed is more or less a Indy hat, which is more or less a 30's city hat that happened to have been popularized by a movie archaeologist whom wore his outdoors a lot.

otherwise, a Playboy is almost never a bad suggestion.


Most had brims less than 2.5"
50's Playboy:

Modern custom version:


Gannon Hats has rabbit fur priced at $175....just sayin...

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I mean, you say 40's, but the subtext here I think Brent had pegged earlier. If the Cavanagh is a style you like, you're looking for a 60's -ish stingy brim. eBay is your friend.

The illustration probably is modeled off a hat more like a Fed or a whippet. The Fed is more or less a Indy hat, which is more or less a 30's city hat that happened to have been popularized by a movie archaeologist whom wore his outdoors a lot.

otherwise, a Playboy is almost never a bad suggestion.


Most had brims less than 2.5"
50's Playboy:

Modern custom version:


Gannon Hats has rabbit fur priced at $175....just sayin...

Playboys and Wonderers are great hats; not always easy to find cheap. Great idea on the Gannon!


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[deadlyhandsome]

......it is something you have to get used to as they all have their purpose in wear along with style.

Stingy brims and Trilby’s are nice but you will be limited to the brim size unless you go CUSTOM

RO

Not everyone likes, or will come to like, larger brims and/or taller crowns. Personally, I like stingy brims and Golden Era hats as well as westerns, Homburgs, derbies, etc. There isn’t a universal gravitation toward only one type of hat.

The trouble is when you want the look you see on others but recoil from how that same hat looks on you because the dimensions/proportions look too big; a common issue for those new to hats. There’s no having it both ways.

Jared gave the best advice yet when he suggested a rabbit fur felt Gannon. A bargain and you can get the exact hat you want. Michael is a pleasure to work with and his hats are incredible. I’ll also give The Phoenix Hat Company a plug and say his custom rabbit dress hats start at $165 and Rick is so easy to work with.

Dead horse beaten. Good luck @Gustavo


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