Dating a Cavanagh hat

[Marc Chevalier]

That and the quality was nearly the same through all those years---unlike certain hat companies today. Consistency was not a problem of his.

Jamespowers, with all the knowledge you have about hats, why don't you share that knowledge here more often? You used to a few years ago -- did you get tired of it? I'm always impressed by how much you know about this stuff, and would really enjoy learning even more.

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[zetwal]

Glad you got it!

It could be '40s or '50s, either one. No way to tell for sure, at this point. Let me know if it has a Union label once you get it.

Brad

Somewhere I read the relevance of the union label to dating but now I can't find the post. Please tell us again, What would that mean?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Hat Corporation of America slowly unionized over a period of five years, from 1942 through 1946. By 1946, they were a fully union shop, so the presence of a label gives us, roughly, an "earliest" date for hats. Absence of a label doesn't help at all, unfortunately.

Brad

 

[zetwal]

Ah yes, I got it now. Thanks -

 

[bakers44]

Hat Corporation of America slowly unionized over a period of five years, from 1942 through 1946. By 1946, they were a fully union shop, so the presence of a label gives us, roughly, an "earliest" date for hats. Absence of a label doesn't help at all, unfortunately.

Brad

When did the union disolve? Or has it? They don't put the labels on hats anymore so I just assumed it wasn't around.

 

[Brad Bowers]

It's changed names/merged a couple of times. It's now the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, or UNITE (how very modern).

I haven't delved into whether or not any of the post-1972 hats were union-made.

Brad

 

[MattJH]

Let me know if it has a Union label once you get it.

Thanks Brad! I received the hat today and it does not have a Union label anywhere that I can find. Here are the dimensions:

Crown: 5 3/4" (the order tag says 5 3/8" though)
Brim: 2 1/8"
Ribbon: 2 1/8"
Sweat: 1 3/4"

Here is every identifying marker: the liner, the order tag, and the price tag:

Any thoughts?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Anything on the back of the size tag? The union label can show up there.

Easily could be '40s. The labels look like my Wall Street model.

Brad

 

[MattJH]

Anything on the back of the size tag? The union label can show up there.

Nope, nothing. I can't find a Union label anywhere. Thanks for the pointers and the age estimate, though! I'm wondering if the "West Pt." on the price tag is the name of the model. Did Cavanagh ever have a "West Point" hat?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Did Cavanagh ever have a "West Point" hat?

Apparently so.

That's the model name. I have one that says "Wall St." It would be nice to catalog some of these names.

Brad

 

[Dreispitz]

Apparently so.

That's the model name. I have one that says "Wall St." It would be nice to catalog some of these names.

Brad

Interesting! Just checked my Cavs. No particular names to be found. That raises up the question: Why did Cavanagh give some lines names and some contemporarys, not?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Interesting! Just checked my Cavs. No particular names to be found. That raises up the question: Why did Cavanagh give some lines names and some contemporarys, not?

Almost all of the Cavanagh models had names. In many cases, though, the names either didn't make it into the hats, or else they might have been on a tag or label that was easily removed. Not sure why they weren't stamped somewhere, but they weren't.

There are a few instances where the model was printed or stamped on the sweatband, but not very many.

Brad

 

[MattJH]

Just got it back from Oscar at South Street Hats after a 24-hour turnaround on a clean and reblock. Aside from the fact that my camera somehow made it look brown when it is, in fact, a shade of grey very similar to Akubra's "Carbon Grey," isn't it pretty? Now I know why Cavanagh is talked about in such high regards here. The felt is incredibly malleable while still being sturdy. This isn't a quality I've ever felt before in... felt. Bashed a diamond into the open crown myself in front of Oscar to show him I've been paying attention to his lessons:

Crown: 5 3/4" (the order tag says 5 3/8" though)
Brim: 2 1/8"
Ribbon: 2 1/8"
Sweat: 1 3/4"

​

 

[Viper Man]

:eusa_clap Nice, Matt. Be sure to add it to the "Cavanagh Club" thread, too.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Bumping for another Cavanagh dating.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Thought I would include this in this more specific Cavanagh thread...

Was wondering if someone could help me with this Cavanagh. To me, the crown height, ribbon width, and brim width suggest a 30s block. The hat is unlined, and it looks like the sweatband was not stitched at the seam. Perhaps it was originally taped. It (sweatband) also looks rather plain, no ink or foil stamping. There are two tags, which looks like only one has survived (see last pic). It's coming with the box, don't know if that's an indicator. The actual hat hasn't arrived yet from the 'bay.

These pics were straight from the listing. Let me know if something stands out. Thanks for looking...

 

[Brad Bowers]

Yes, that's a '30s Cavanagh - the label is '30s, as is the taped sweatband seam. It's too bad the liner is gone, as it would tell us whether it's pre-'36 or post-'36. There should be a store name (Cavanagh Associate, officially) stamped on the sweatband, and we probably just can't see it in the photos.

The box is also of '30s construction. You'll find it's quite heavy-duty. Later decades still used the oval box, but the construction was different and lighter.

Don't let the blocking on Cavanagh hats fool you. Because they were very conservative in their styling, you could buy the same style of hat in 1928 and in 1968. Sure, they offered more modern stylings by the 1950s, but also still made the classics.

Nice find!

Brad

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

COOL! :thumb:

 

[RobFedoraField]

thought I'd jump in here and say that if you like your hat, I currently have it's twin in the classifieds in a chocolate brown. I'd make you a good deal so they could be together

I guess I should be more specific, it's twin is the hat that started this thread.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Nice hat. Not for me. Thanks for the offer. Hope you sell it!