I can't believe it...

[Forgotten Man]

I think the May is the oldest. Looks like a pretty wide piece of leather inside. probably '40s, maybe earlier. I don't know much about this more obscure hat maker but I love these 'off' brand oldies.

The Borsalino is probably '50s/'60s, and the Disney is probably '50s.

No matter. They are all beauties to me. And as great a name as Borsalino is, the real scores are the Disney and the May.

Does the Disney read, "Disney Twenty", on the sweat band? Is it a functional wind trolley or elastic decoration? If so, I have a Disney of that same model and style but in different color. See link below including a liner shot. It is one of my top ten favorite hats of all.

http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/harpplayergene/Disney Twenty/

I'd be very happy to have picked these up.

The Disney is earlier then the 50s I'm almost sure of. It is a Disney 20 and the wind trolly is functional.

 

[barrowjh]

I really like the Gus also, and it is the color combinations that do it - different color for the edge binding, the ribbon, and the felt itself. I wonder if it originally had a ribbon that matched the edge binding, but it was replaced somewhere along the way? If not, this is a great example of the extent to which our grandfathers accessorized.

 

[Forgotten Man]

The bound edge is original to the hat. I have seen others much like this Gus May. In the late 30s and early 40s color combinations was all the rage. The depression was just coming to a close and the war wasn't here yet... and Technicolor was on the upswing. So, it wasn't uncommon to see interesting but tasteful color combos such as this.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Nice to know the Disney has a Cavanagh Edge.

But what about the sweatband bow? Tassel or ribbon? That could help date it.

Brad

 

[Forgotten Man]

Sounds like a great day. Did you or your gal pick up anything else?

Great Avatar pic by the way. :eusa_clap

I got a 30s knit wool tie for 50¢ Ash picked up a great two tone 40s suit coat (tan gab with black collar and sleeves) also a early 30s floral dress with a bolero and a WWII white nurse dress.

And thanks about the avatar pic.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Nice to know the Disney has a Cavanagh Edge.

But what about the sweatband bow? Tassel or ribbon? That could help date it.

Brad

The bow on the sweatband is the remnants of a loop tassel. Which could point to it being later... however, that pleated ribbon on the crown says earlier to me. Hard to say really.

 

[Brad Bowers]

If it's a looped tassel, then it was made by Hat Corporation of America, which places it between 1932 and 1943.

Brad

 

[Forgotten Man]

If it's a looped tassel, then it was made by Hat Corporation of America, which places it between 1932 and 1943.

Brad

Oh, so I was right... it is earlier then the 50s! Thanks Brad! What a pal, what a pal, what a pal!

 

[Brad Bowers]

Oh, so I was right... it is earlier then the 50s! Thanks Brad! What a pal, what a pal, what a pal!

You're welcome, glad to help out.

It's actually later than 1932, but I haven't pinpointed what year Hat Corp. introduced their signature tassels. I'm thinking it was in the mid- to late-'30s, which would narrow the window of your hat to '35-'43. For now, I use '32 as an absolute date.

Brad

 

[Forgotten Man]

Well, I can tell ya just buy lookin' at it that it's not earlier 30s... I'm thinkin' late 30s.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Interesting. That Disney (except for color) is a dead ringer match for mine; blocking, dimensions, cav' edge, "Twenty", wind chord, ribbon/bow style and all. There's just no way I've ever thought of mine as being a product of the '30s or early '40s. Mine, by the way, has its entire bow inside and it's not the loop style - it's more of the 'bow tie' type, but the part extending below the bow is of the frayed tassel variety. [huh]

Disney probably made a long run of this particular model.

 

[zetwal]

If it's a looped tassel, then it was made by Hat Corporation of America, which places it between 1932 and 1943.

Brad you continue to amaze me.

 

[buler]

Disney

I just got this ad this weekend. Unfortunately it doesn't have a year. Just March Esquire on the back. But maybe from the woman's clothing you can target a year. It has the Disney Windsor Fifteen and the Oxford Twenty in it. The hat on the right (Twenty) has the 6 fold ribbon treatment and a wind trolley.

B

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Very cool find, buler. That's the same feather in mine too.

All I can say is ForgottenMan did very well for himself on those hats. I can personally vouch for the Disney. Great hat.

 

[Forgotten Man]

By the looks of the ad it appears late 40s/early 50s... Mine however may be an earlier run of the same model. Remember, men's hats didn't change over night in style and there were many hat styles to suit many different tastes and likes throughout the golden age. Some hat makers were making rather earlier styled hats since there was still a market for the older styles since there were older men stuck in their tastes.

Now, the thing about the Borsalino... it may be later but brother, it sure looks pre-code Cagney! I'll take a photo of it on with some 30s rags... you'll see how tall the crown really is and the look is just too sharp.

 

[billyspew]

Just my two pennies on the Borso... I have one with almost exactly the same liner, sweatband and a wind trolley (well the remnents of where it was cut off) and it's from the early '60's.

Like the Disney very much, they're all great finds.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Yes, I know now the Borsalino is a later one... And, what I think (I could be wrong) but since they were made in Italy, the quality continued to be high into the 80s where the American hat companies suffered. Also, since there was a strong 30s revival in the 70s, maybe that's why this high-end Borsalino looks so much like their earlier hats of the 30s. That's why I was fooled!

No matter how you slice it, it cost $5. bucks and I don't fear wearing it like I want to since it isn't perfect and it's not as early as I had thought.

I wore it yesterday and just can't get enough of it's early looks... just love that hat.

 

[carouselvic]

Great hats at a great price, for sure.

 

[Lefty]

1955

 

[kaosharper1]

What was the event?

And why didn't I hear about it? Was it a big sale by the old costumers?

I'm over in Pasadena.