Homburg Nation

[steur]

In connection with the Ask a Question thread I mentioned this Lee Homburg and decided to wear it today. By doing some digging in my email archive and the FL search function, I realised I haven't worn this beauty since I bought it in December 2020. Nor have I posted it here, so better late than never.

Wonderfully soft, chocolate brown felt, 10cm crown height to the front crease, just over 5cm brim, matching ribbon and bow.

View attachment 419286 View attachment 419287

The sweat is very soft and smooth.

View attachment 419288 View attachment 419289

Luckily for me, a previous owner decided to stretch its 7 1/8 size to a 7 1/4, hence the lack of Sweatband seam.

View attachment 419292
Thankfully, they re-attached the sweat bow.

It's a great hat, Steve. Lee hats are a bit difficult to find, but always quality.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

For those of us not blessed with a vintage sized head, I recently heard from Michael Gannon that he is going to start offering homburgs:

“…I will also let you know how things go with the new curling shackle, I have had a lot of requests for homburgs over the years so I hope to be able to do that type of brim.”

As soon as he feels he’s got it figured out I’m placing an order for a wide and tall homburg…something like this (less the black ribbon):

It seems that our European custom hat makers are ahead of the US hatters when it comes to curled brims. I was seriously contemplating another Hornskov before this news from Gannon. I might still get another Hornskov as they are great hats too.

 

[Blare]

In connection with the Ask a Question thread I mentioned this Lee Homburg and decided to wear it today. By doing some digging in my email archive and the FL search function, I realised I haven't worn this beauty since I bought it in December 2020. Nor have I posted it here, so better late than never.

Wonderfully soft, chocolate brown felt, 10cm crown height to the front crease, just over 5cm brim, matching ribbon and bow.

View attachment 419286 View attachment 419287

The sweat is very soft and smooth.

View attachment 419288 View attachment 419289

Luckily for me, a previous owner decided to stretch its 7 1/8 size to a 7 1/4, hence the lack of Sweatband seam.

View attachment 419292
Thankfully, they re-attached the sweat bow.

Real beauty Steve.. is this the one you posted with the hand written date inside the sweat?

 

[Steve1857]

Real beauty Steve.. is this the one you posted with the hand written date inside the sweat?

Thanks Joe.

Yes it is. Something went wrong with my edit, but here's the hand written date inside the sweat. I'd have put this Lee at earlier than 1980, but the written evidence seems to claim otherwise.

 

[Blare]

Thanks Joe.

Yes it is. Something went wrong with my edit, but here's the hand written date inside the sweat. I'd have put this Lee at earlier than 1980, but the written evidence seems to claim otherwise.

View attachment 419346

Ha.. was going to say I hate to break it to you… but I don’t think this is a circa 1980 hat. I’m sure you would be just gutted to find it is about 30 years older.

 

[Steve1857]

Ha.. was going to say I hate to break it to you… but I don’t think this is a circa 1980 hat. I’m sure you would be just gutted to find it is about 30 years older.

Heart-broken, Joe

It definitely looks older than 1980. You can't always rely on handwritten dates. They could mean something other than the actual date of a hat or an object.

Thanks for breaking it to me

 

[Blare]

Heart-broken, Joe

It definitely looks older than 1980. You can't always rely on handwritten dates. They could mean something other than the actual date of a hat or an object.

Thanks for breaking it to me

While I don’t have the exact dates…. This more whimsical Lee logo was used till the early/mid 50s. They switched to the olive leaf style logo mid/late 50s and used till the factory burned down (I think early 60s).

somewhere I have a more detailed article with some of the Lee history

My guess on the Hand written date on this one… maybe done when it was refurbished…. The tape holding down the liner and at the rear of the sweat suggests it was cleaned up at some point.

so.. wonderful 50s Lee…. Or surprisingly high quality 80s hat

Whatever the case… its a beautiful hat and you wear it well.

 

[Steve1857]

While I don’t have the exact dates…. This more whimsical Lee logo was used till the early/mid 50s. They switched to the olive leaf style logo mid/late 50s and used till the factory burned down (I think early 60s).

somewhere I have a more detailed article with some of the Lee history

My guess on the Hand written date on this one… maybe done when it was refurbished…. The tape holding down the liner and at the rear of the sweat suggests it was cleaned up at some point.

so.. wonderful 50s Lee…. Or surprisingly high quality 80s hat

Whatever the case… its a beautiful hat and you wear it well.

Thank you Joe, and thanks for the info. Most interesting. I think your theory about the handwritten date is highly likely to be correct.

I'll treasure the Lee even more now

 

[steur]

Borsalino Gufosca homburg in black. Size 56 with the brim at 6cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. A sleek looking homburg with a great hand to the felt. Do I need another black homburg? No of course not, but I wanted this one anyway and I didn't even know it. Thanks @Steve1857 !

 

[mayserwegener]

Wegener "Extra", 58 cm, probably early 1950s. The Felt has a great finish and easily dry creases. The paper label is missing but there was 1953 newspaper spacer behind the Sweatband. The Liner has piping which I haven't seen on a Wegener. The Wegener stamp on the Sweatband is also unique.

 

[mayserwegener]

Hückel Weilheim "Mercur", 57 cm, probably later 1950s. The black Belt Felt has a really great finish and the Crown was pre Blocked so I kept it that way. The small Side Dents were popular in Germany in this time period. Really like the Band width, Bow design and the thinner Binding. The overall condition is fantastic.

 

[Steve1857]

Hückel Weilheim "Mercur", 57 cm, probably later 1950s. The black Belt Felt has a really great finish and the Crown was pre Blocked so I keep that way. The small Side Dents were popular in Germany in this time period. Really like the Band width, Bow design and the thinner Binding. The overall condition is fantastic.

Wonderful find, Steve.

 

[steur]

Hückel Weilheim "Mercur", 57 cm, probably later 1950s. The black Belt Felt has a really great finish and the Crown was pre Blocked so I keep that way. The small Side Dents were popular in Germany in this time period. Really like the Band width, Bow design and the thinner Binding. The overall condition is fantastic.

Gorgeous hat. Those Mercur felts are really nice. Don't think I've ever found a pre-creased one.

 

[mayserwegener]

Gorgeous hat. Those Mercur felts are really nice. Don't think I've ever found a pre-creased one.

Stefan, Thank you! Not sure if it was creased this way by HW or by the shop that sold it.

 

[mayserwegener]

Wonderful find, Steve.

Steve, Thanks!

 

[Rmccamey]

Very nice. I hope you will show more of that hat in the fall.

Hückel Weilheim "Mercur", 57 cm, probably later 1950s. The black Belt Felt has a really great finish and the Crown was pre Blocked so I kept it that way. The small Side Dents were popular in Germany in this time period. Really like the Band width, Bow design and the thinner Binding. The overall condition is fantastic.

 

[mayserwegener]

Very nice. I hope you will show more of that hat in the fall.

Randy, Thank you! Maybe one evening this week I will wear it and take some photos.

 

[mayserwegener]

Very nice. I hope you will show more of that hat in the fall.

Randy, I braved the heat!

Hückel Weilheim "Mercur"

 

[Steve1857]

Randy, I braved the heat!

Hückel Weilheim "Mercur"

G

Yet another great find, Steve. Love the dimensions.

 

[mayserwegener]

Yet another great find, Steve. Love the dimensions.

Steve, Thanks!