My first vintage (I think?) hat!

[Samsa]

I was out west several weeks ago visiting a good friend, and happened upon a Cavanagh in an antique shop in northern Idaho. Here are the pictures:

It's in pretty good condition. The bow at the back of the hat has come undone. There's also a mark on the front of the crown - when I picked it off the shelf at the antique place there was a sewing needle woven through the top part of the felt!

There's also a small, light spot on top of the crown (moths, maybe?)

Does anyone have a guess as to when it might be from, or the material (beaver, rabbit, etc)? There's a price tag on the back side of the size tag that indicates it was sold for $20.00. Based on the price, I would guess it came from the '60's or later.

 

[DOUGLAS]

That my friend is a beautiful hat! Congrats. Great color too.

 

[Feraud]

Ya done good.
I love the color!

 

[feltfan]

That is a classic Cavanagh.
As far as I can tell, a hat like that could be
from the 50s, 60s, or even maybe 70s. I have
one I believe to be from the 70s that appears to
be of the same quality, though by the 70s Cavanagh
was also making some pretty awful hats (or Hatco was
making them in the Cavanagh name). Nothing has been
made with the Cavanagh name for decades, so it's certainly
safe to call that vintage. Since Cavanaghs were pricey hats,
it's hard to date it by price, BTW.

Don't you love that dense felt? The luxurious leather sweat
band? You don't show it, but I'd bet the back of the bow
is frayed evenly, with a silky feel to it. And that's the Cavanagh
Edge, too (which I imagine is noted on the front of the leather
sweat).

Congrats and enoy it.

 

[Samsa]

That is a classic Cavanagh.
As far as I can tell, a hat like that could be
from the 50s, 60s, or even maybe 70s. I have
one I believe to be from the 70s that appears to
be of the same quality, though by the 70s Cavanagh
was also making some pretty awful hats (or Hatco was
making them in the Cavanagh name). Nothing has been
made with the Cavanagh name for decades, so it's certainly
safe to call that vintage. Since Cavanaghs were pricey hats,
it's hard to date it by price, BTW.

Don't you love that dense felt? The luxurious leather sweat
band? You don't show it, but I'd bet the back of the bow
is frayed evenly, with a silky feel to it. And that's the Cavanagh
Edge, too (which I imagine is noted on the front of the leather
sweat).

Congrats and enoy it.

Thanks for the input!

Yep, the bow is frayed (I took it to my local hatter today to have it steamed and brushed, and the girl asked me if I wanted to have her clip "that loose thread"!) I'm too inexperienced to say anything about the felt quality (this is only my second felt), but I did notice the sweat band is of a higher quality than any of the other hats I own.

 

[ideaguy]

Great hat!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap with a sharp brown leather jacket, man, you'll knock 'em dead! Un-asked for advice: use a neutral background
when photographing your hats-i.e. med gray, etc., that way the color of the hat doesn't fight with the rest of the photo, if you have a controlled environment. My 2 cents.

 

[SinatraStyle]

Samsa, very nice hat! I have yet to find a Cavanagh to add to my collection and would jump at the right find. I'm glad that you were able to add it to your's.

PS Where in northern Idaho did you visit?

 

[MattC]

The bow wasn't worn

The back bow on Cavanagh ribbons were not finished with a solid edge, but were instead "feathered." It's one of Cavanagh's little touches.

 

[MattC]

50s or older I think

Its the liner that's the give away; it says "John Cavanah Ltd" and "5th Ave. at 47th Street." 60s Cavs (and some 50s I think) said "Cavanagh Hats" and "New York." Your hat is a beauty.

 

[squid]

It's a great looking hat. I would have jumped on it too.

 

[tonyb]

I frequently have visions of coming across such fine lids on my journeys to secondhand shops in small towns. Alas, it rarely happens, but your tale, Samsa, has reinvigorated me.
Watch out, Kettle Falls!
BTW, did you walk out the door with what we might consider a bargain? How do panhandle prices compare to what some folks out here seem to think their stuff is worth?

 

[Samsa]

PS Where in northern Idaho did you visit?

The hat was purchased in Wallace, a small town fairly close to the Washington border. We also made trips to Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, but most of time was spent in Washington (Spokane to be specific).

BTW, did you walk out the door with what we might consider a bargain? How do panhandle prices compare to what some folks out here seem to think their stuff is worth?

Forgot to mention that in my post! The price was $30, which I thought was reasonable, seeing as how it was my size, and I would pay at least $100 for a modern, lower quality Stetson or other big name brand.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Congratulations on a great find, Samsa.

That's a fine-lookin' Cavanagh!

 

[tonyb]

Yup, that qualifies as a bargain. Glad to see the right guy ended up with it.

 

[Wild Root]

That is a nice hat there! Looking at it says to me late 40's early 50's! There is no way it's a 60's or 70's hat. Cavanaugh was a high priced hat! $20. back in the late 40's wasn't uncommon for a higher quality hat.

I would steam it open crown and then re-block it, it would look good with a nice hand bash I think.

Congrats!

=WR=

 

[jamespowers]

You definitely got a bargain there. Probably 1950s with at least some beaver fur (20%) in the felt based on the $20 price tag. Cavanagh's were made with the best materials available for the price. Their hats were also one of the top three "expensive hat makers" along with Knox and Dunlap.

Regards,

J