Help to Clarify What My Fedora Is

[fedoracentric]

I am not sure I'd assume that hatters never used the oilskin liner after 1953.

 

[splintercellsz]

Try looking through this

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=76443

 

[TheDane]

It is unlikely that any major manufacturer continued using oil-skin for the tip liner after the mid-50s, as they would appear to be 'falling behind' the competition. That big wide ribbon is also a bit of a marker, more common to older than newer hats, but none of the evidence is as strong as the oil-skin tip liner. The major manufacturers might have continued using oil-skin as a sweat barrier behind the sweatband for several years after the clear plastic tip was introduced.

It may be "unlikely", but it is a fact

It was used for liner tip covers on some European hats up in the 60s - Italian Parino for one. They used oil-silk for liner tip cover, but not for moisture membrane behind the sweatband. In America, oil-silk was phased out earlier - just like the American companies lowered their felt, leather and finishing quality long before the European companies did the same.

 

[ManofKent]

My guess is 50's rather than 60's not that it makes much difference - I don't think the processes or quality changed much during that period. Nice hat either way

 

[guitarmasta12]

My guess is 50's rather than 60's not that it makes much difference - I don't think the processes or quality changed much during that period. Nice hat either way

Thanks A guy on here saw a T and Y on the Dobbs logo pic on the sweat band. I thought I found a Y looking at it.

 

[Brad Bowers]

My thoughts (and thanks to splintercellsz for pointing out the Dobbs Dating Guide thread - I was going to, but you beat me to it. )

The hat is not a Twenty, as it does not have the tip crest with the two lions as used on Twenties and up. I also don't see any sign of the word Twenty anywhere below the coach wheels.

Hat Corporation of America used oilsilk tip protectors from the very early-1940s through the 1960s, even concurrently with plastic tip protectors, a period of about three decades.

Somewhere I've got information from Hat Corporation of America that the customer in the 1950s wouldn't get a beaver blend until the $40 price point. Your hat is hare/rabbit.

Without a factory label to help narrow it to either the 1950s or 1960s, it could be anywhere from approximately 1953 or so up to mid-1960s.

Brad

 

[guitarmasta12]

My thoughts (and thanks to splintercellsz for pointing out the Dobbs Dating Guide thread - I was going to, but you beat me to it. )

The hat is not a Twenty, as it does not have the tip crest with the two lions as used on Twenties and up. I also don't see any sign of the word Twenty anywhere below the coach wheels.

Hat Corporation of America used oilsilk tip protectors from the very early-1940s through the 1960s, even concurrently with plastic tip protectors, a period of about three decades.

Somewhere I've got information from Hat Corporation of America that the customer in the 1950s wouldn't get a beaver blend until the $40 price point. Your hat is hare/rabbit.

Without a factory label to help narrow it to either the 1950s or 1960s, it could be anywhere from approximately 1953 or so up to mid-1960s.

Brad

Thanks because I was shopping on ebay just now and I saw Twentys with the Crest above the logo and it got me thinking. But hey at least I know that it's either 50s or 60s. Too bad the tags were gone when I got it. BTW your guide really helps

 

[Mr.Astor]

I don't think, that can be directly concluded. Beaver-content is not necessarily a sign of higher quality. Many very fine quality hats never had any beaver in them. A content of 25-50% beaver didn't do that much to the price. The felting process and the finish - and the hours/days involved - was the costly part. I wouldn't be the least surprised, if a Dobbs 20 was a non-beaver hat.

Today is another story, as most of the differences in the felting and finishing processes are more or less lost. To me it seems like, most hatters are capable of doing pretty much the same to a felt body - which leaves us with the content as the main difference. Still, the difference between two felt bodies - a good hare/rabbit blend and a 100% beaver - only $10-15 in 2014.

I agree with Dane, there are some very fine hats with a rabbit or hare content when they are worked properly far better than some beaver with a little content. They feel and work really well in competent hands!