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I notice all your hats but 2 have the seam for the satin liner in front. The exceptions are this hat and your long nap dark brown hat with the wider brim binding. Is there a reason for this, and can you ask that the seam be in the back as it is with this one?
Brent, of all the felts you have ordered do you have a preference? Would it be the antelope finish you ordered several times, perhaps?
I like the navy color and the caramel almost looks like a Winchester camel felt on my monitor. Is that an accurate comparison?
I'm surprised Mr. P can't get good beaver felt over that way. I thought the Tonak rabbit was almost as nice as Winchester beaver and the Tonak beaver was even better. Not true? Maybe that was FEPSA? I know the Portuguese beaver has a very good reputation.
I have to admit, I've been slow to get on board with Mr. P's hats as well as Phoenix hats, but the quality on both continues to improve to the point where they just can't be ignored.
I do admit that small things bug me... like the seam on the satin liner being in front, the butting up vs. overlap on the bound brim, etc, etc, and I am so enamored of my hats with Art Fawcett, Mike Miller, Michael Gannon, John Penman and I'm sure Bob Jesse (when it arrives here) that even though they cost more I just feel better with that quality in hand vs. sitting here and having some small thing bother me without me being able to forget about it.... obsessive, I know.
But I'll say, my interest is piqued.
I never specified how I wanted the liners put in. I’m sure he could accommodate your preference.
As to my favorite of his felts, the antelope finish is my preference. Strange that you have to ask for then hats to pounced finer, but you do.
Let me say, I like my Agnoulita hats and I’ve had fun ordering them. There is also a near endless variety of colors in the standard rabbit fur felt to play with. Please understand that these hats are made to a price. If you are expecting something just nominally lower in quality than a VS, Gannon, etc. you will be disappointed. Mr. P is completing a dozen or more hats every day and they just don’t and can’t compare to a true custom. Which leads me to Phoenix.
Rick/Phoenix makes a hat that is in every way better. Rick’s attention to detail and perfectionist streak along with his better raw materials ensures you’ll get a truly custom made hat. Rick’s hats deserve to be spoken along side some of the big names. For the cost difference, the Phoenix Hats just represent such good value. This is the reason I haven’t gone back to Agnoulita lately. As an aside, Rick also offers to sew his liners in whereas the Agnoulita’s liners are glued in.
If you’re interested in fast and cheap hats that are wearable and offered in great variety then the Agnoulita is an option; and some of the hats I’ve received from him have been quite nice (not much consistency).
I had two rabbit fur felt hats made by D’Aquino using what I believe to be FEPSA hat bodies. One was much denser, shapable, and generally nicer than the felt I received from Agnoulita, but the finish work was very poor. The other was very similar to what Agnoulita has used. Strange. I have a Hufvud that is a FEPSA rabbit and hare blend that I really like in a super soft almost limp dress hat, but I’d still take a Winchester beaver over it. As to FEPSA beaver and beaver blend hats, maybe someday. [emoji4]
I can’t say what’s right for you, but I wouldn’t choose Agnoulita unless you’re not a picky customer who wants to just give them a try. I would unhesitatingly endorse Phoenix. Be advised, Phoenix is backed up and may not be accepting new orders right now. I also believe that the prices are going up in 2019, but you will need to confirm that.
When you’re ready you should send Rick an email:
phoenixhats@outlook.com
Good luck
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