Is it a bowler... or a homburg..? Or something else...?

[BlueGem64]

Any ideas on what to call this hat?

And more specifically, how can I get one? Lol. I've been looking at bowler hats and would like to get one eventually, but I like the flat(ter) top of this hat.

http://img692.imageshack.us/i/55568979.png/

http://img17.imageshack.us/i/99715404.png/

http://img845.imageshack.us/i/69972718.png/

http://img153.imageshack.us/i/36865881.png/

It's Hugh Jackman, playing Robert Angier in the movie The Prestige. Setting of the movie is turn of the century, like 1899

 

[The Good]

It looks like a flat-top bowler hat, I think I've seen one of these in another movie, the recent Sherlock Holmes.

 

[Garrett]

Late 19th century model. A hybrid of top hat,bowler and homburg stock. There are a few hats on this page in the lower right corner which may be similar:

http://www.allposters.com/gallery.a...on&f=t&FindID=0&P=1&PP=1&sortby=PD&c=c&page=1

 

[Bernie Zack]

It looks like a flat-top bowler hat, I think I've seen one of these in another movie, the recent Sherlock Holmes.

I posted this on another thread, but there is a wool version made by Bailey called the "Ice." I don't remember where I saw it, but i'm sure if you do a Google search you'll find it.

 

[bowlerman]

...or a sugar-loafed top hat?? Who knows? But I agree it is fantastic-- what a hat. It seems they had much more variation and subtlety on those blocks back in the day-- more room for personalization and/or finding the perfect dimensions. This company claims to make them, and I want to order one someday, though I think I have others higher on the docket for now. Scroll toward the bottom-- I think pictures S and T.
http://www.morenohats.com/customhats.htm
Anyone ever seen their work and/or blocks in person?

 

[HHCassius]

I'd call it a modified bowler. Sure, the bound brim is in the style of a homburg, but part-and-parcel of a homburg is that it has a center-dent bash, to my knowledge. The lack of bash in the crown makes it a bowler in my estimation.

 

[English_Gent]

I believe it's simply called a high-crown bowler (or derby) and it is also the type worn by Jude Law as Dr Watson in the recent Sherlock Holmes film:

 

[Lokar]

I'd not say it's a high crown bowler. This is a high crown bowler:

The squared off bowler-style (we'll ignore the brim as that's probably just because it's a cheap modern hat), also worn by Churchill:

I seem to think that someone on the forum managed to find a name for these a while back, but I can't remember what it was nor can I find it again.

 

[English_Gent]

I'd not say it's a high crown bowler. This is a high crown bowler

I appreciate what you're saying but could it not be the case that they're both high-crown bowlers with different style crowns? In the same way that fedoras and trilbies can have very different crown styles but still be fedoras and trilbies? I'm not saying this is necessarily the case it's just speculation on my part.

Perhaps we could call it a Hombowler?

 

[mayserwegener]

It is not Homburg like. Homburgs are soft felt hats with a Fedora / Alpine / Center crease and a German brim curl. The ones from the late 1800s had tall tapered crowns. This is a 1890s Homburg from the Novy Jicin collection.

 

[rlk]

Totally agree with MW--no Homburg characteristics(other than a felt hat with brim curl). Bowlers came in many shapes and dimensions, but always stiff hats with a tightly curled brim-much smaller curl front and back.

Here's a small sample from hats sitting close at hand:

Here's a hat that really crosses lines:

 

[Edward]

Jackman's hat is, I would say, a repro of a Victorian take on a square top bowler. Probably you'd find something similar available from a theatrical costumier or a Civil War goods supplier.

 

[mayserwegener]

Here is another interesting one from the Novy Jicin collection. I am pretty sure it was meant to be worn as shown although the brim appears to be some what soft.

 

[David V]

Churchill wore a hat called a Bowker.
I think that is what this hat is supposed to be.

 

[Bernie Zack]

I'd not say it's a high crown bowler. This is a high crown bowler:

The squared off bowler-style (we'll ignore the brim as that's probably just because it's a cheap modern hat), also worn by Churchill:

I seem to think that someone on the forum managed to find a name for these a while back, but I can't remember what it was nor can I find it again.

I believe someone on TFL called it a "Cambridge Bowler," although, if Churchill's hat was, indeed, a Cambridge Bowler, very clearly the crown is much higher than that worn by Jude Law in the movie.

 

[rlk]

Churchill wore a hat called a Bowker.
I think that is what this hat is supposed to be.

http://cwr.iwm.org.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.71980

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Bowker Hat
great shot of the hat RLK. Has anyone seen one come up for auction?
Wonder what the history of the style is?

 

[bowlerman]

So it definitely seems to fit into the bowler general category. The previously pictured Bowkers seem like a good fit. they almost appear like a top hat with a slightly flared crown, except the angle of the slight flare is reversed into a taper instead.
Anyway in addition to Moreno Hats, which presumably, from their style list, has that exact block (http://www.morenohats.com/customhats.htm) style S/T,
here are a few other Americanized versions, with lower crown heights.
this one in wool: http://top-hats.com/1024.htm
and this one from Tim bender, which I believe appears more authentically in American Civil War-era. http://benderhats.com/flattopbowler.html
Note: Clearwater Hats also makes a "Mosby" but it's difficult to tell anything from their website photos.
I bet if you really begged them, Tim Bender or Clearwater would adjust the brim width, even if the D'Orsay curl isn't in their repertoire.

 

[bolthead]

Here is another interesting one from the Novy Jicin collection. I am pretty sure it was meant to be worn as shown although the brim appears to be some what soft.

I'm liking this one a whole lot.

 

[adouglasmhor]

Churchill wore a hat called a Bowker.
I think that is what this hat is supposed to be.

Also known as a Cambridge Bowler. Did Odd Job not wear one?