Judging by the sizes of vintage hats, a 24" head is a fairly new evolutionary trait.

[Mr. Lucky]

That may be the least of your problems.

Oh, no! Actually, it's one of my greatest concerns! That, and working such terms as 'vestibule' and 'davenport' into conversations about woodland creatures and the effect of leaving the gold standard on the nation's economy and RBI averages!

Don't these things keep YOU up at night?

 

[Fletch]

Can't say as they do. Probably 'cause of all the damn Casa Loma records playing in my head.

 

[Vermifuge]

Oh, no! Actually, it's one of my greatest concerns! That, and working such terms as 'vestibule' and 'davenport' into conversations about woodland creatures and the effect of leaving the gold standard on the nation's economy and RBI averages!

Don't these things keep YOU up at night?

I end up using "vestibule" a lot in the bay. Most of the ATMs are now locked inside of the bank entrance as a form of protection. not sure if "vestibule" is the correct terminology but it seems to work.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Can't say as they do. Probably 'cause of all the damn Casa Loma records playing in my head.

Yeah, that Glenn Gray sure burroughs under the skin, don't he? It's like a dentist playing a wailing sax after to much nitrous!

 

[MattJH]

Just wanted to follow up that the search is as bleak as ever! After remeasuring my head, I'm much closer to 24.5" or 62cm. My Winter Tilley hat is actually a 7 7/8, or 63cm, but I suppose that's because of the tucked-in earflaps and headwarmer.

The largest size I've seen for vintage fedoras / bowlers / etc. is 61cm or 7 5/8. I just went to a local antiques emporium and found three different fedoras. One was a fantastic Stetson Sovereign in grey with the original box in a size 7 and the other was a fairly beaten but otherwise soft and nice looking Mallory at a size 6 7/8 (I believe). The third was unmarked, unlabelled, and probably would've fit a young boy perfectly.

(i.e. - Not even close.)

Pending the arrival of a vintage Stetson Sovereign in a particularly large size (which I'm very excited about!), I believe my search for vintage hats is over. While I'm sure some of the 7 5/8 vintage fedoras out there would fit my head despite 7 5/8 being somewhat small on me, they're so few and far between that when they do turn up they're priced accordingly to their commonality.

So it goes! Looks like I'm truly between a 7 3/4 - 7 7/8.

 

[jgogg]

So now I see what's happening to the big hats on eBay!

I was unaware of The Fedora Lounge until I asked a question of "gladhatter"
on eBay. Amongst the ad hominem attacks this illiterate person returned
was a reference to this site. (The question seemed unoffensive to me..."Why, if the Borsalino you are selling is such a lousy hat according to your copy, are you selling it with a reserve?") I have enjoyed reading this thread and now I see where all the outbids have been coming from on the various hats I have tried to acquire over the past few years. I also have a
24" circumference head; obviously a fair rarity for folks of past generations. I recall one hat in particular I was determined to have. It was an antique beaver top hat. The thing ended up selling for four times as much as similiar hats in smaller sizes. I did not get that one!

 

[Canadave]

Welcome, jgogg, to both the Lounge, and the big-head-hard-to-find-a-vintage-hat club!

David

 

[jamespowers]

I can tell you for sure that they made hats 7 5/8 in vintage. I have plenty of them from the 1800s on down the line. They may not have been all that common but they exist. You just have to look.
I passed on a 7 3/4 vintage a few months ago. I guess I should go back to the shop so I can put it in the classifieds here. I forget if it was a Resistol or a Dobbs. [huh]
I know one vintage guy who couldn't get rid of a 7 3/4 because it was too big. I should have told him to put it for sale in here. :eusa_doh:
There have been people with larger than average heads since the beginning of the homo sapiens sapiens. Nothing new it is just that many of them were either thrown away or set aside and went unworn because once the original wearer passed on it was unlikely there was anyone else who would fit it.
You will find many larger size hats in very good condition because of this.

They are out there and they fit too.

Regards,

J

 

[Topper]

The answer is actually quite logical:

Consider a standard "bell curve" distribition of sizes.

Less number of product are manufactured in the small sizes and large sizes as there a less market demand. And most hats are made the average size.

The present average head size is around 7&1/4 UK, BUT the average size around 50 years ago ( estimate for antique definition) was around a 6&5/8 UK ( 7 US / 56cm) and so most hats still available are of this size.

So taking into account general wear and tear - naturally it would be very hard to find a hat in large size 61 or above as the surviving hats, were only available in smaller numbers in the first case.

With fedoras you are more lucky as the shape can easily conform to your head, trying to find a Silk Top Hat is the size and "Shape" is then very very rare as they are made as a hard shell. Thus the high cost of purchasing one.

In regard to the size 8 of the civil war, I would take this with a pinch of salt. the standarisation of hat sizes between hatters many yars ago was not done correctly so doubt the 8 was a nmodern 8 - even now the UK and US are 1/8 difference.

When purchasing it is suggested you always request the size of the inner in cm or inches. Be carefull if they just give you a size number, not only may it be UK or US size if antique, but also it could be measures in the PUNTI scale.... a 5&1/2 PUNTI= 7&1/8 UK = 7&1/4 US = 58cm

To find the shape an approximate calculation can be made using the mathematical formula for the circm. of an oval. Whilst not exact it can give you a rough estimate of the shape as Round/Regular/Long Oval. I have created a excel to assist in this calculation - it is on my web site www.ascot-tophats.co.uk in the Size & shape section.

Pip Pip

Doug
Ascot Top Hats Ltd

 

[jamespowers]

With fedoras you are more lucky as the shape can easily conform to your head, trying to find a Silk Top Hat is the size and "Shape" is then very very rare as they are made as a hard shell. Thus the high cost of purchasing one.

Yep, quite right. It too k forever for me to find this:

Fits great though.

Regards,

J

 

[Topper]

Looks nice, the brim does not look silk plush, possiby a silk rib.

Rib brims are quite common from German / Netherland region, I am still researching whether this was an actual "fashion" or because of the later part of the 20th Cent. when they were still making silk hats, there was less plush around, so they used other silks to form the brim. This is more common if a hat has been refurbed, replacing the brim material if it was damaged.

- Who was the hatter who manufactured it?

 

[jamespowers]

Looks nice, the brim does not look silk plush, possiby a silk rib.

Rib brims are quite common from German / Netherland region, I am still researching whether this was an actual "fashion" or because of the later part of the 20th Cent. when they were still making silk, there was less plush around, so they used other silks form the brim. This is mode more common is a hat has been refurbed, replacing the brim material if it was damaged.

- Who was the hatter who manufactured it?

Stetson. I would have to get it out again and look at the brim to see if it is plush or not. Whatever the case, it doesn't look like it has ever been refurbished---the crown wear shows still.

Regards,

J

 

[Matthew Dalton]

I just got a vintage Stetson Homburg, size 7 3/4, off of THAT site and the only reason I won it was because I got it with the Buy It Now within an hour of it being posted!

Mr. Lucky indeed! I was this >< close to buying that one when they re-listed.

 

[jgogg]

What's the trick?

I am reluctant to ask for trade secrets as purchasing on eBay is a competitive game, but would anyone care to offer search words
that turn up vintage hats in a particular size? I am always stuck
with searching for particular hats or brands ( "borsalino", "beaver
top hat", "stetson stratoliner", etc.) then looking through all the auctions to try and find one that is properly sized. Then I have to deal with the really tantalizing hats with no information at all by emailing the seller for my disapointment. And I find that trying to search for "7 5/8" or
"61" or "24" doesn't work well either. And, of course, there is still the problem of hats by makers that don't use a standardized
sizing. It makes buying hats you can't try on a really dicey proposition.
Although I have more hats than I can likely wear in this lifetime, I still hate buying hats that are only collectible....I want to be able to wear them
should the mood come upon me.

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

I'm a Fathead, too.

I also feel your pain (7 5/8). Luckily we have Art and Fedora making wonderful hats no matter how big a fathead we are.

As to your original questions, yes, the evolutionary trait seems to be bigger heads. But I can't say that translates to bigger brains!...KC

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Mr. Lucky indeed! I was this >< close to buying that one when they re-listed.

It's a GREAT hat! And here it is!

 

[Canadave]

...I got it with the Buy It Now within an hour of it being posted!

Niiice. If you don't find the question indelicate, how much was it?

David

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Niiice. If you don't find the question indelicate, how much was it?

David

I did the 'buy it now' and got it for either 49.95 or 59.95 plus ten bucks shipping. Either way, it was worth it. It's a better hat, and in better condition, than some of the hats I've paid twice the amount for.