GORDON HATS ( Gordon & Ferguson Co.)

[Joshbru3]

Here's also a list of Gordon & Ferguson catalogs on google that have NOT been scanned in yet. I can't wait until they are.

1) http://books.google.com/books?id=1VbwHAAACAAJ&dq=gordon+%26+ferguson&hl=en&sa=X&ei=akaQT9P_AeibiAKYm5WdAw&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAzgU

2) http://books.google.com/books?id=kxxikgAACAAJ&dq=gordon+%26+ferguson&hl=en&sa=X&ei=s0aQT_jzHNPZiAL80K2TAw&ved=0CEQQ6AEwAzge

3) http://books.google.com/books?id=EphKkgAACAAJ&dq=gordon+%26+ferguson&hl=en&sa=X&ei=s0aQT_jzHNPZiAL80K2TAw&ved=0CEkQ6AEwBDge

4) http://books.google.com/books?id=kUSnZwEACAAJ&dq=gordon+%26+ferguson&hl=en&sa=X&ei=c0iQT4bBCcjViALJ6OTAAQ&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBjgo

5) http://books.google.com/books?id=VHmmtgAACAAJ&dq=gordon+%26+ferguson&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SUmQT7ChGuSaiALE2s2RAw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwADg8

 

[Joshbru3]

It appears that the Minnesota Historical Society has quite a few documents about the company. Including old advertisements and catalogs.

http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00723.xml#a9

Look under" Detailed Descriptions" for all the shelf locations of the documents.

 

[delectans]

Josh, thank you for taking the time and effort in compiling the photos and supporting historical reference material for this very intriguing early hat maker.

I will re-double my efforts to track down additional examples of Gordon hats and other objects d'intérêt and post them to the thread. When time permits I will also dig around the Minnesota Historical Society, of which we are members, and see what additional information I can unearth.

In an interesting coincidence, the original Clarence H. Johnston designed Gordon & Ferguson Building at 333 Sibley, St. Paul, wherein all of the hats illustrated in this thread were likely made, is literally just a stone's throw away from where we spend most of our weekends, diagonally across from Mears Park! The Gordon & Ferguson Building is now known as the Army Corps Of Engineers Center, and it may be interesting to poke around to see if anything at all remains of the original hat manufacturing concern.

 

[Joshbru3]

Josh, thank you for taking the time and effort in compiling the photos and supporting historical reference material for this very intriguing early hat maker.

I will re-double my efforts to track down additional examples of Gordon hats and other objects d'intérêt and post them to the thread. When time permits I will also dig around the Minnesota Historical Society, of which we are members, and see what additional information I can unearth.

In an interesting coincidence, the original Clarence H. Johnston designed Gordon & Ferguson Building at 333 Sibley, St. Paul, wherein all of the hats illustrated in this thread were likely made, is literally just a stone's throw away from where we spend most of our weekends, diagonally across from Mears Park! The Gordon & Ferguson Building is now known as the Army Corps Of Engineers Center, and it may be interesting to poke around to see if anything at all remains of the original hat manufacturing concern.

No problem Al, it was my pleasure putting this thread together. I really wanted to have a place to showcase Gordon hats and Gordon advertisements. According to the Minnesota Historical Society's website, they seem to have a good amount of material on Gordon hats and the Gordon & Ferguson company. I can't wait to see what you find!!

I also can't wait to hear your observations about the Gordon & Ferguson Building. I had no idea it was right by Mears Park, that's very cool! I wonder if the Gordon & Ferguson Building has any remnants of its hat making history.

 

[Joshbru3]

1930's Gordon Prepster

I bought this Gordon several months ago and just haven't had time to redo it. I finally had a little time last week and decided to make the hat wearable again. It came to me VERY dirty, crushed, smashed, flat wonky brim, folded/creased ribbon, etc. I steamed and brushed the hat a TON just to get some stiffness back in the felt, because when I first received it, the felt was completely limp. I brought the hat back to open crown position and was very surprised to see that even though the crown was tall, it was VERY round on top with a good amount of back/front taper. I took the original ribbon off the hat, soaked it in soap water, then ironed the ribbon to try and get the crease out. I did manage to get the crease out, but it had been creased for so many years that the faded crease line is now permanent. Then I sewed it back on using the original stitching holes. Lastly I re-flanged the hat and then ironed the front of the brim flat like it most likely was originally. The hat turned out much better than I expected, but it still needs a naptha bath in order to get the felt very clean. I didn't do a naptha bath, and I'm unsure if I will or not.

Here's the hat when I originally got it:

And here it is after the rebuild....

 

[Joshbru3]

1930's Gordon Prepster (cont....)

 

[alanfgag]

Josh, if I were an old hat, I would want to be adopted by you. A loving restoration job... well done!

 

[Garrett]

Great job, Josh! Love the longer length of that tattered edge ribbon

 

[Chepstow]

Josh, a beauty, really. You did a Wonderful job done! I like it, really!

 

[Joshbru3]

Josh, if I were an old hat, I would want to be adopted by you. A loving restoration job... well done!

Great job, Josh! Love the longer length of that tattered edge ribbon

Josh, a beauty, really. You did a Wonderful job done! I like it, really!

THANKS so much, Alan, Garrett, and Manfred!!!

The proportions and sweatband details of the hat would tell me that its early 30's, but I can't be positive. Whats interesting is that Dinerman's early examples had union tags, but his black 30's Gordon didn't have a union tag. Neither of my two Gordan's have had union tags and I believe them to be from the 30's as well. I wonder if Gordan dropped the union at some point.

 

[Joshbru3]

Bump!

 

[splintercellsz]

1920s Gordon "Light Weight" Derby

Came in the original shipping box, and has a 1929 Newspaper behind the sweatband

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[drmaxtejeda]

My new Gordon Somerset Quality. Seller says it's from the 1930s.

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[AbbaDatDeHat]

My new Gordon Somerset Quality. Seller says it's from the 1930s.

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Gorgeous Max. Great read on this old thread!
B

 

[buler]

Gordon boxes at Rue Clothing in Minnesota. 1923.

 

[buler]

Gordon sign in Bergsteins Clothing store, Duluth Minnesota. Circa 1900.

 

[JMR]

Here is a postcard of Hammond, WI with a Gordon Hat store on the main street. No date on the postcard.

Hammond is still a small town (population up to about 2000 now), 30 minutes east of St. Paul, MN.