New additions to my growing collection

[Lady Blue]

Here are some hats I had recently purchased on ebay. I took them to Graham at Optimo for some TLC and I am very pleased with the results.

Hat #1 Borsalino in a sage green type color. The felt on this is amazingly soft and supple. When we got it off ebay it had an enormous crown and very large brim, almost resembling an unfinished hat.
the before:

we hand-folded the crown down into a porkpie, which helped give it a little more shape, and we took it in to Graham for some improvements. He shortened the brim to 2 1/2 and affixed the ribbon back in place. He also shaped it into a porkpie using his tools to create the more exact look.

Here it is now:

I think it looks great now and is a lot more stylish.
Now to questions: This is the first Borsalino I have ever seen like this. Was this a common style? What decade do you think this is from? On the inside it notes that it was purchased from Marshall Field's.

hat #2 to follow

 

[Lady Blue]

Hat #2: Velour Churchill

Next up we have a Churchill made of velour, Halifax style in Avario color with a price tag of $40. Graham dated this hat around the 1960's or 70's. I don't know much about the company itself, but it is a very nice hat and the velour is thick and has a nice soft feel. When it came to us it had a detachable band of peacock feathers instead of a ribbon, with a linked band of the same velour materials underneath. We took it to Graham for some cleaning and removed the peacock feathers and the linked band. We replaced it with a traditional ribbon. The color of the hat is better depicted in the before photos

Before:

and (drumroll please) the after:

amazing, isn't it? I think Graham did an amazing job on this hat. I hardly recognized it.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

That's an amazing transformation! Great looking lid!

 

[vonwotan]

Wow, great finds and what a great job by Optimo! I love both hats but that Borsalino is truly outstanding!

 

[DOUGLAS]

Man that Borsalino is gorgeous! Nicely done:eusa_clap

 

[Dinerman]

That's the only womens borsalino I'd ever seen like that.

both hats look 100 times better now.

 

[Dr Trinidad]

Those turned out great!

 

[silvereed]

very nice rebuild