Let me run this by you...

[Art Fawcett]

Now that I am almost settled ( that will take a while) in my new life as a hatter without all of the other stuff to consider I have been asking myself alot.."Just what is it you really want to do in the field" and I think I have come up with my answer. I want to create truly original pieces, but grounded in the past. I think the only way I can do this is by creating limited edition hats of the very best materials I can obtain. One of the reasons ( the main reason actually) that they will have to be limited edition is that I am using ONLY vintage ribbon. I don't mean "vintage looking", or "New Vintage ( an oxymoron), or "Vintage Style", but real honest to goodness 1930s and '40s trims. I have been collecting ribbon for years and have WAY too much ( according to my wife) but only have specific ribbons in small quantities. In short, when designing a hat I will have to limit them to the amount of ribbon I have on hand, then never again produce them. This way I will never be in danger of becoming a "hat factory" and hopefully keep it fun for me.
Please allow me to indulge my fantasy and introduce you to the first of these. Based on early thirties specs..but with a little license to increase the brim width to 2 5/8 with a 5 3/4 crown and 23 ligne ribbon, color "Mojave " and inspired by a late twenties Dobbs in my collection..I'm calling it the "Eddie G" in pure beaver that others rate as 1000X or 1500X

Your comments would be welcome

 

[Matt Deckard]

Tall ribbon, tall crown cool!.

I may just get one.

Mmmmm vintage ribbon.

 

[tonyb]

It's a beaut

I'll take one, or maybe two. How limited would the run be?

 

[Art Fawcett]

Thanks Gents, Tony, on this one I believe can do 10, perhaps more, but not many more.

 

[photobyalan]

Art,

Well, that hat is spectacular. I'm tempted to say "sign me up" without even asking the price. I'd love to see that with a bound edge.

The "limited edition" idea is wonderful. It gives us hat wearers the opportunity to own something really special. I think this is a labor of love for you, and you seem to have no real interest in cranking out a whole bunch of identical hats.

If they are all as great-looking as the one above, it can't help but be successful.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Thanks Alan..you have it right.."cranking them out" wouldn't be fun..it would be work ( yuck...SPIT that word out...work.) I don't intend to ask the moon for them Alan..my normal $275 would be enough to keep me going and keep it interesting.

 

[tonyb]

Well, at that price I'll just have to have it. But really, Art, I feel almost guilty about it. Your price is only about 30 bucks more than a rabbit felt, off-the-shelf Borsalino costs. And that's before the usurous sales tax they tack on in this state.

 

[shamus]

it's quite dashing. It reminds me of an open road with a wide band.

And since you're asking for comments.. I'd like to see it with more a curl on the edge and a windcord would finish it off nicely.

Do you have any pics of the inside. This is where you could really get the limited edition thing going. Perhaps stamping out the number in the sweatband. 1 of 10 or something like that.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Thanks for the comments Shamus. I considered a different flange for the brim curl but opted for the flatter "snap" on this one. The windcord is an addition that makes sense and if i can get the right color made it will happen. The major difficulty with them is simple. I would want an absolute match on the windcord color to the ribbon, but the color of the ribbon is at least 60 years old so it would have to be precision dyed to match, making it a "special order" with a quantity of 10? Until I can make my own it doesn't sound doable.
I am still waiting for my liners so I haven't finished out the inside, thus no pics. It might actually be a few weeks before this whole thing comes together but hopefully will be worth the wait. They will each be signed, numbered, and dated.
One thing I forgot to mention is that these bodies don't require stiffner added to make them workable so the felt is soft as butter to the touch.
Tony, please email me privately & I'll get started for you. The price is intentionally low when comparing manufacturers but I have an advantage. I have no employees, work out of my workshop at home, my children are grown and gone, and although I'm 56 , I'm still a "young" hatter in need of establishing a reputation beyond the Lounge. Having little or no overhead is a beautiful thing.

 

[DanielJones]

Wow!

Very nice Art! I'd wear that in a heartbeat.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[tonyb]

Pricing

That makes sense, Art. You're also cutting out a few other steps in the marketing process. I imagine that regular hat retailers mark up their offerings at something approaching 100 percent. I certainly don't know that to be the case (if someone out there knows otherwise, please don't hesitate to correct the record), but that level of markup isn't at all uncommon in specialty retailing. The upshot from this consumer's point of view is that you are offering a far and away superior value to what I can find at the hat store.

 

[JeffW]

The concept of "one-of-a-kind" or at least limited production is very cool. This hat is beautiful.

 

[besdor]

Art , what sizes can you make up to ? Can you also ,make wider brims:cool2: as well ?

 

[varga49]

OK That's it!

Jesus!! That's the most beautiful hat I think I've ever seen. By all means use your artistic license and create!

 

[photobyalan]

Art,

I'm seriously thinking about "ebaying" one of my Graflex cameras in order to be the proud owner of one of your creations (I have to appease my wife somehow for such indulgences ). I absolutely love the one you have shown us, but I would also be very interested in seeing what else you have up your sleeve!

A question: would it be possible to get one's initials stamped into the sweatband?

 

[lenj]

Put me on the list

I am a novice at all of this but would love to start my first custom with one of yours.

lenj

 

[Art Fawcett]

WOW!!! Thanks for the responses Gents. Let me see if i can answer everyones questions.
Tony, I have been a bricklayer all my life and have always kept the hatting as part of our Vintage clothing business so I really don't know the retail side of the hat business. I couldn't dispute your theory as I just plain don't know. That isn't where I want to go with this anyway. Since I have retired from everything else I don't want to start another hair pulling business that will make me want to retire again. The key for me is to stay small and offer something unique. Pricing is almost secondary.
besdor, this hat I believe I can make up to 7 7/8 and yes I can make larger brims. The largest in a fedora style would be 3" but I do have a set of western flanges that are 3 1/2".
Alan, I'm humbled by your jesture. While in the clothing biz I ended up making the same deal with my wife but it involved suits. I'm a '30s suit freak and small enough to wear them so when I reached 50 I had to make the deal..sell one before buying another. drat....
Lenj..Thank you ...email me privately please & we'll go from there.

Varga..what can I say..you already carry the name of one of my favorite artists Did I mention that I collect pinups??

 

[Baggers]

That hat is beautiful

I've just sent you a PM.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Nice hat, Art...

....I think you will have enough business to stay in business. As you probably know already, when you offer a product that is in high demand and of excellent quality, it may just turn into a full time operation. Be careful, sir. What starts out as a small part time side thing may just turn into a full time thing that requires a bunch of time...then you are back to the reasons that you left the city. Don't get me wrong, friend...I want a hat from you...so I guess I don't really know what I'm saying...I think you get my drift...

 

[maintcoder]

That is an awesome looking hat, Art - and I can see the 'Eddie G' in it since I just watched 'Little Caesar' this week.