Modern Borsalino liners?

[sproily]

Hey all,

I saw this Borsalino at a vintage clothing store a while ago but I didn't buy it. So now I'm seeking re-assurance.. What do the modern borsalino liners look like?

How else can I tell that if it's something I ought to get?

To me it looked like a vintage one, but I'm not that familiar with Borsos. I only have one contemporary one myself.

I have over hundred miles to where I'm going so I'd like to know in advance what it ought to look like.

If my memory serves me right (which it very rarely does) the liner looked like that of BellyTanks Borsalino in this shot. I guess.. Probably... Such a lousy memory!

The hat had quite a wide brim and it was olive coloured. Mint.

Please help!

Best,
Lassi

PS. And yes it was an Alessandria

 

[Mario]

Judging by the sweat and overall look (what I can see from here) I'd definitely say it's a vintage Borso.

I believe they used the same liner over a pretty long time. I have one Borsalino with that liner from the 60's, but I've seen it in older hats as well.

I'd say that hat dates back to the early 50's. Come to think of it...look behind the sweat if you can find a tag that says 'OPS'. That's short for 'Office of Price Stabilization', and was only used between 1950 and 1953. Something about that Borso makes me think that it could be from just that time.

 

[carouselvic]

PS. And yes it was an Alessandria

Was Alessandria printed on the front of the sweatband?

 

[sproily]

Was Alessandria printed on the front of the sweatband?

I'm not sure.

Thanks Mario for those tips, it's just what I need. Pointers that I can look for when I have the hat in my hands!

One other thing that came to mind, was that it had this plastic thingy inside the crown where you put side creases.. It made me think that it was unused, but could it also tell about the age?

 

[feltfan]

Borsalino used a lot of different liners over the years.
Some of them were co-labeled with hat stores. So there isn't
just one liner to look for. You can see a lot of them by searching this site.

See the corrugated sweat guard in the front of that sweatband?
Not all vintage Borsalinos had that, but I believe that all more recent
ones don't.

If I were you, I'd follow this rule: if you like it and you think it's fairly
priced and you have the dough, buy it. Otherwise, don't.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

If I were you, I'd follow this rule: if you like it and you think it's fairly
priced and you have the dough, buy it. Otherwise, don't.

That's the only way to buy hats!

 

[shortbow]

The liner and sweat are identical to a couple of my Borsos that I know to be from the fifties.

As to whether to buy or not, the above advice is golden.

 

[avedwards]

If I were you, I'd follow this rule: if you like it and you think it's fairly
priced and you have the dough, buy it. Otherwise, don't.

What about if you like it, it's fairly priced, you have money, but it doesn't fit?

 

[Ordinary Guy]

What about if you like it, it's fairly priced, you have money, but it doesn't fit?

Well that just happened to me and I just keep looking at it day after day,,,,,

Gotta put it up for sale, I guess, but it sure is purty !!! lol

 

[feltfan]

That's the only way to buy hats!

Now JTM, I'm certain you and I are far too wise to fall for this, but
there is another way:

You've got to have it, it's too expensive, and you can borrow the dough...

And avedwards, you can always stretch or pad!

 

[Mario]

The liner and sweat are identical to a couple of my Borsos that I know to be from the fifties.

Exactly my thinking.