Finally found a "vintage" hat...

[tracyam]

now if you good people here can help me find out more about it. I saw the other Adam link posted here a few weeks ago and it was pretty helpful.

This hat came from an antique store in Hendersonville, NC for $35. How did I do? I guess it isn't in perfect shape and it could maybe be a half a cm bigger to really have a better fit. I probably should clean it and get it reblocked but I don't know yet...I like keeping the brim down all the way around. All I know is I really like it a lot. It's my first fur felt...I hope it's fur felt at least.
Is it beaver? rabbit?
Is it maybe from the early 60s? I'm not even sure what color I'd call this.

 

[KY Gentleman]

I can't comment on the history of Adam hats but that is a good looking fedora. I think you got a good buy. Enjoy it, looks nice!:eusa_clap

 

[feltfan]

If you use the search function or just poke around a bit
you'll find a lot of information here about Adam hats.
A Premier Executive is probably one of their better hats.
I was voting 60s till I saw that interior. Now I have
no idea. I see there's a patent noted on
the inside crown covering so you might be able to date
it pretty close.

That sweatband looks pretty dry. You might try CAREFULLY
applying Lexol to the leather (staying clear of the felt)
to see if you can save it. There's info on applying Lexol to
sweatbands on this site, too.

Nice hat. Very interesting interior.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Adam was a "lower cost" alternative to the big names in hats. The bottom of their line was for the extremely cost conscious, but wasn't necessarilly junk. The top of their line was about the same as the entry level for higher quality brands. You got one of the good ones, at a fair price. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[tracyam]

Thanks for the info so far people. I'll look for some Lexol to put on the sweatband.
Just out of curiosity feltfan, how did you post a picture and all I can do is link?

 

[surely]

tracyam, after following feltfan's advice, I would plop that baby on my head (not pulling it down) and enjoy the look and feel, at least for a few days before messing with the look, which has character plus now.

 

[AlanC]

Handsome hat, good price.

As suggested apply leather conditioner. Let soak, apply again. After a couple of applications put it on your head, which will help conform it. That may stretch it enough for it to work for you, but if not a light stretching ought to fix it for you.

 

[tracyam]

Interesting...I just noticed there are some tags behind the sweatband.
Size 7 1/4, a mans name and phone number, and a tag that says "Union Made" "United Hatters Cap & Millinery Wkrs Intl Union" with "65" in red ink...a date perhaps?

 

[Stoney]

Ill go Out on a limb

on this one. I'm no expert on Adam hats but given the style of artwork and text in the crown, the block lettering on the sweatband and it appears to have the fine transparent cloth over the satin graphic in the crown, rather than a sheet of plastic. I would say that this hat is certainly no newer that very early fifties, it could possibly have been manufactured in the late 30s. It does have a reeded sweatband. The style of the finishing touches is definitely not recent or 1960s not late 1950s either. It's much more likely late 1930s to 1940s Just IMHO.

And be sure to follow that good advice on the sweatband. You may be able to save it before it falls apart. It would be a real shame to lose the original sweatband on this one.

It looks like it is in need of a block and flange, but otherwise in pretty darn good condition.

Great find.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[carldelo]

Nice lid

I think you did well on that lid, it looks quite nice - I would definitely try wearing it with the back snapped up just to see how it looks. As far as photos go, I believe you need 15 posts on the Lounge before being able to put photos inline.

 

[feltfan]

Thanks for the info so far people. I'll look for some Lexol to put on the sweatband.
Just out of curiosity feltfan, how did you post a picture and all I can do is link?

Ah, the mysteries of ancient Fedora Lounge lore...

Seriously? I looked at your link, copied everything up
to the ".jpg" and clicked on the picture icon in the Reply to
Thread window (the one with the pyramids or mountains and
the yellow background) and pasted it there. That icon simply
places the HTML/Wiki tags "IMG" and end "IMG" around the link.

Hit the "Quote" button below this message, in response to
this message (but don't necessarily reply unless
you want to), and have a look at this:

 

[Razzman]

It's a fine looking lid.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap I've had several hats by Adam, and IMHO they are very good hats. Apply the leather conditioner, clean it up a bit and you have a great looking lid that will last for years.

 

[tracyam]

Yeah, I really think highly of this hat...my first non-wool. It's such a great color too.
I think the biggest problem is going to be finding someone that can block it. The only places I can find around here that might could do it are cowboy and western clothing stores. They're the only ones that even sell fur felt hats around these parts. (I'm 40 minutes from Charlotte, NC)

 

[tracyam]

on this one. I'm no expert on Adam hats but given the style of artwork and text in the crown, the block lettering on the sweatband and it appears to have the fine transparent cloth over the satin graphic in the crown, rather than a sheet of plastic. I would say that this hat is certainly no newer that very early fifties, it could possibly have been manufactured in the late 30s. It does have a reeded sweatband. The style of the finishing touches is definitely not recent or 1960s not late 1950s either. It's much more likely late 1930s to 1940s Just IMHO.

And be sure to follow that good advice on the sweatband. You may be able to save it before it falls apart. It would be a real shame to lose the original sweatband on this one.

It looks like it is in need of a block and flange, but otherwise in pretty darn good condition.

Great find.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

I read in a previous thread about Adam here in the FL that the "Aqua Shed Treated for Water Repellency" copyright was in 1962 or 1963. That's why I thought it was from the early sixties.

I don't know if this will help date it or not but there is a paper tag inside the band that reads "K. Wolfrum Phone LO-1-0144"

 

[Stoney]

I don't know if this will help date it or not but there is a paper tag inside the band that reads "K. Wolfrum Phone LO-1-0144"

I haven't heard of anyone using phone numbers like that except in movies from the 1930s and 1940s. I think that numbering system has been gone a long time.

Start your web research there and you're on your way to verifying its age.

 

[AlanC]

I think the biggest problem is going to be finding someone that can block it. The only places I can find around here that might could do it are cowboy and western clothing stores. They're the only ones that even sell fur felt hats around these parts. (I'm 40 minutes from Charlotte, NC)

Consider sending it off to Optimo, Jimmy Pierce, etc.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I haven't heard of anyone using phone numbers like that except in movies from the 1930s and 1940s. I think that numbering system has been gone a long time.

I've got a railroad depot timetable from January 1, 1959, listing the phone number for REA as LIncoln 4-0037 and the depot as LI-4-7060. This is from a fairly good-sized city, too.

Unfortunately, that doesn't help us date it any better.

Brad

 

[Lon Goval]

Patent Dates & Phone Numbers

Patent dates/numbers can be misleading. It can't be any earlier, but can be much later. When I was buying vintage Saxophones, people thought they were from 1914 since this date was stamped on the bodies with the patent number. Even though they were made well into the 20's and later and still had the 1914 patent info on the Sax.

I remember letter prefixes in the 50's and my wife remembers using letter prefixes as late as 1962. Checking our high school annuals, by 1965 they were not using letter prefixes. Of course an individual may have still used the letters later on since that's how they remembered the number. Don't know if this helps.

Ralph

 

[Stoney]

Well at least we know it's not a 1970 or lid for sure. I was 10 years old then and using the phone at home we never used those types of numbers.


I still think it predates the 1950s, again based on the artwork, lettering and the lack of a plastic cover in the crown. Has anyone seen a 1960s or 1950s hat with the sheer fabric used in the crown, rather than plastic?

I never have seen a 1960s looking hat with one and really doubt that any of those I've seen with one were made in the 1950s. Of course there are real headgear experts on here who may have. Anyone seen these on 1950s or 1960 lids?

Edit:
With regard to the trademark. I missed that picture somehow earlier. I would assume that as stated above it could then be no earlier than the trademark date of 1962. That is unless the assumption on the trademark date is incorrect, or that Adam did not mark the bands as trademarked earlier, weather the term was or wasn't at the time. Trademark aside, I still feel this hat looks like a much older style than 1962.

 

[jimmy the lid]

I remember letter prefixes in the 50's and my wife remembers using letter prefixes as late as 1962.

Yup, I can vouch for the fact that letter prefixes were used in the early 60's. Actually, when you told someone your phone number you'd say the full name (like "Lincoln" in Brad's example) plus the numbers. Hadn't thought about that in a while...

Cheers,
JtL