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Crofut & Knapp Tales

Benzadmiral

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,815
Location
The Swamp
It so happens I'm wearing my green C & K today. This was a NOS hat I picked up at Meyer the Hatter in the spring of '97. Turns out it's a 7 1/4, but it has shrunk a little, so that with padding it now fits well:
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I love its proportions. I'm thinking of having Art Fawcett recreate it in a light-colored, lightweight tan felt, with a darker ribbon and a matching brim binding.
 

facade

A-List Customer
Messages
315
Location
Conklin, NY
I recently purchased this stock certificate and to my surprise it seems to have a tie in to two venerable hat companies. Cavanagh-Dobbs obviously, and apparently Crofut & Knapp as well. The shares were originally sold to "Mary L. Knapp" which, based on this thread, may be Mary Lydia Knapp. I wasn't able to discern her relationship exactly, so if anyone knows please speak up.


mlk.jpg
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
That's pretty cool. Mary Lydia Knapp was the wife of Philip Nichols Knapp, son of co-founder of Crofut & Knapp James Howard Knapp. Interesting that she had her own shares of stock.



Brad
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Crofut & Knapp Postcards

Crofut & Knapp published six postcards that their representatives and associate retailers around the country could mail out to their customers. About half are postmarked 1909, the others are blank. Like the Percy Edward Anderson Saturday Evening Post ads from 1929-1930, I have collected all but one (guess which one!). Someday I will be able to complete each collection.

CKPostcard1909-1_zpsafea92c2.jpg
CKPostcard1909-2_zps8e6e8bad.jpg


CKPostcard1909-3_zps5f944fe4.jpg
CKPostcard1909-4_zps99d66326.jpg


CKPostcard1909-5_zps61b6c5b0.jpg
CKPostcard1909-6_zps7461721f.jpg


Note the trefoil knot on the side of the sweatband of the Derby on the last card, as well as the early hatbox which doesn't yet feature the Fifth Avenue scene. That box would come later, around 1914, as I recall.

Brad
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Catching up on a bunch of posting. Robert posted one of these a while back, but here's one that I haven't gotten around to until now. C&K Derby, most likely 'Teens, complete with Cavanagh Edge. Sadly, no liner or tip sticker. A Cavanagh Edge on a Derby is wasted if you bother to bind it. The nice feature about it, according to John Cavanagh's original patent, is that it obviates the need to use a bound edge to hide the white shellac of the raw edge of the stiff hat.

Considering the poor condition of the hat, I'm tempted to remove the silk and check out the Cavanagh Edge. I'll think on it a while.

Brad

CKCavEdgeDerby1_zps6b37647d.jpg


CKCavEdgeDerby2_zps231f7cc1.jpg


CKCavEdgeDerby3_zps1925d7d9.jpg
 
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Garrett

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,782
Would be interesting to know the refurb story on that one. Looks like it was done during the 20's. Great score!
 

mmbarnes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,202
Location
A tad northwest of Richmond, VA
This is my Crofut & Knapp Forty. It has a 3" brim with a Cavanagh edge brim.

The hat itself is in pristine condition. The only flaw I can find is that the base of the ribbon has a little discoloration. I will probably replace that.

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Despite many searches, I have not found any info or ads for the Forty on the web. The liner suggests to me that it was made in the fifties.

Matt

- A day without a hat is like night.
 
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