Mallory Feather-Felts anyone seen or heard? Pics

[Anubis]

I tried searching for some stuff on Mallory "Feather-Felts" I haven't been able to find anything. I know the "cravenette" process felt came out before the early 30"s possibly around or before 1920.

If anyone has seen one of these hats, or has heard of it.. or even has seen a old advertising ad I'd like to see or hear what you know about it.

One think I did notice was Mallory around the 40s had a oval around there sweatband stamp, like there pliafelt. I did see earlier "cravenette" felt hats from them with just Mallory stamped without the oval around it.

Hopefully that's not all confusing.. If anyone knows anything though I'd love to hear about it.

Thank you all.

 

[Anubis]

Has anyone seen or heard of one of these?

 

[mayserwegener]

I don't have any specific information but such felts are most likely a reaction to light weight European felts such as Borsalino produced. The American Hat Industry was very protective of the domestic market (every major hat making country was in those times) but people were still attracted to such European light weight felts.

Also Hat Industry production information is very limited. My interest are the German and Austrian Hat Industries (lesser extent the Italian Hat Industry) and it's the same story. When you can find production information it's generic in nature.

 

[Anubis]

Yeah, I figured it's like Stetsons old vita felt, or bonds airlite, or champs featherweight.

As Mallory was one of the major hat makers in the earlier 1900s I'm hopping someone has seen one of these and or know what years it was possibly made.

I can find Mallory fedoras and derbys all the way back but I haven't seen anything or a feather felt by Mallory.

The one thing I seen in common is the way it says Mallory was similar to other 1920 Mallorys and even cravenette processed Mallory.

However I couldn't find anything not even a old advertisement of a feather-felt.

Because of that I am guessing it was a rare hat style, not just a felt type like the champ featherweight was a specific model with a specific felt. However the featherweight was a name like whippet was to Stetson.

I'm hopping one of you older guys I look up to for knowledge from your many years of life experience may have seen or know something.

I hope someone can pun something down on this... thanks.

 

[mayserwegener]

I did some searching. The Mallory "Cravenette" was a weather proofing process. I found mention of it in this 1908 advert.

Men's Wear. [semi-monthly], Volume 25, 1908

I couldn't find anything on Mallory "Feather-Felts" but my educated guess is that is felt related. There was always a push for lighter weight felts especially with Stiff Felts (back to late 1800s).

Do you have photos of the entire hats?

You might want to try to contact Brad Bowers and see if he knows anything. I don't believe he is active here anymore.

http://www.thehattedprofessor.com/

 

[Anubis]

No I unfortunately don't, I'm trying to get one from where I got the pictures of the sweatband from but the guy seems inactive.

The thing that stands out to me it might be like the champ featherweight is because if it was just a type of ultalight felt by mallory, there would be different hats different styles and different model name's with the same lightweight felt.

Look at Stetsons vita felt they had all there hats made from it, you can find a strat or a playboy in vita felt.

However the champ featherweight for example is only 1 style hat, and it is made out of a special ultralight felt but the hats name is featherweight not the felt.

Mallory is so popular I'd believe that if it was a type of lightweight felt they used they'd have many hats made from it, just like there cravenette water proofed felt.

Of course I can be totally wrong, but until I see one of find something that's my best guess.

I'll try to ask Brad Bowers.

Thanks.