New member but long-time hat wearer and collector

[Benzadmiral]

Howdy, folks,

I've been reading the forums here for a couple of years. Yes, right after the movie "Australia" came out and I was searching for a fedora like the one Nicole "Goddess Incarnate" Kidman wears on the trail drive in the film. Before long I ordered my first Akubra Federation, and I was off to the races.

However, I've been a hat wearer, off and on, for more than 15 years. I live near the famous Meyer the Hatter in The Swamp (as I call it), and have bought more than a few lids there. It wasn't until I came here, and got into the vintage look, that I realized what I really like.

At present, my collection contains:
Two Stetson Temples, in colors they no longer offer (nougat and mist gray)
A Stetson Arno, a taupe-colored centerdent with a smallish brim
Two Akubra Feds, Carbon Grey and Moonstone
A Stetson Chatham in mink (a little too low a crown for me now)
One of Art Fawcett's creations, a Tucker in whiskey color, 2.5" brim

Now the real vintage:
One of member johnnyphi's vintage hats from the Hirsch store, chocolate brown
A green Crofut & Knapp, teardrop w/ 2.25" bound brim, no liner
A green Churchill Open Road/Alessandria clone
A silverbelly Resistol Open Road clone, cattleman crease, but with snapped-down brim; it looks like it's seen some adventures
Another Resistol OR in light tan, very soft, styled like a fedora; I removed the liner and intend to wear it in the spring and fall

And I'm thinking about a black model; I'll start another thread for that.

Anyway, you folks have already sharpened my knowledge of hats and other things, and wound up causing me to spend money I shouldn't. I figured it was time I joined up for real. (Hi, Art and johnnyphi!)

Paul W. (the Benzadmiral)
http://benzadmiral-uncle.blogspot.com/

 

[zetwal]

Welcome!

 

[suitedcboy]

Welcome.
I know you must be as happy as I am to see David McCallum on current TV in a good role (NCIS).
Cool blog.

 

[gtdean48]

Welcome to our nightmare....

 

[danofarlington]

Welcome.
I know you must be as happy as I am to see David McCallum on current TV in a good role (NCIS).
Cool blog.

So far removed we are from "The Man from UNCLE." Anyone who recognizes this reference automatically dates himself, so beware.

 

[alanfgag]

So far removed we are from "The Man from UNCLE." Anyone who recognizes this reference automatically dates himself, so beware.

Mum's the word here, Dan. 8^)

 

[fmw]

That would be U.N.C.L.E.

 

[danofarlington]

That would be U.N.C.L.E.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Generational detector went off! You have betrayed yourself as a member of the U.N.C.L.E. generation! It's too late to take it back now! But don't feel bad, I am one also.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Beep! Beep! Beep! Generational detector went off! You have betrayed yourself as a member of the U.N.C.L.E. generation! It's too late to take it back now! But don't feel bad, I am one also.

Where's Napolean Solo when you need him? :eeek:

 

[danofarlington]

Where's Napolean Solo when you need him? :eeek:

Beep! Beep! Beep!

 

[scottyrocks]

Ive always liked saying Illya Kuryakin.

 

[Michaelshane]

Easy for you to say.....

 

[jimmy the lid]

Easy for you to say.....

"Mr. Waverly" may be a bit easier...

 

[T Rick]

Paul Welcome to the Board! I'll have to check out that blog.

Now then, I was a huge fan of U.N.C.L.E., but I was a kid. Who else here had the ultra cool cap gun from MFU with the spare magazine? My first box magazine loaded pistol .

And I also had a sort of Tommy Gun like thing, with a scope with "infra red" and some other cool gadgets. Loved my toy guns. Some things never change .

 

[Benzadmiral]

Suitedcboy, I don't watch NCIS, but I've heard there was a neat in-joke in an early episode. Someone asks Mark Harmon's character what Ducky (McCallum's character) looked like as a young man, and Harmon replies, "Like Illya Kuryakin."

 

[jimmy the lid]

That's pretty funny. Incidentally, Benzadmiral -- your new avatar is truly worthy of the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement...

 

[Benzadmiral]

Paul Welcome to the Board! I'll have to check out that blog.

Now then, I was a huge fan of U.N.C.L.E., but I was a kid. Who else here had the ultra cool cap gun from MFU with the spare magazine? My first box magazine loaded pistol .

And I also had a sort of Tommy Gun like thing, with a scope with "infra red" and some other cool gadgets. Loved my toy guns. Some things never change .

Oh, naturally I had the Ideal "Napoleon Solo Gun," which cost, I recall, a cool $5.00 back then. The other sounds like the Thrush Rifle. To this day I have a carload of MfU memorabilia, magazines, paperback novels, and a metal, non-firing, replica U.N.C.L.E. carbine with the telescopic sight and the shoulder stock. I tell people I spent a good chunk of my adolescence on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise . . . but I spent a big part of my childhood in the corridors of U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters. (Explains far too much about my personality.)

Believe it or not, there were two or three episodes in which Vaughn's Solo wore a hat. I'll research it and post some pics when I get a chance. I had no idea people here would remember U.N.C.L.E.!

 

[bolthead]

Welcome to the Obsession Brother.

Very nice Vintage collection you got going.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

"Open channel D, open channel D."

Back in 1980 I helped plan and run a convention for spy shows (U.N.C.L.E., Bond, Avengers, etc.). I was a big U.N.C.L.E. fan. I have all 23 issues of the novelized books, an original U.N.C.L.E. lapel badge, lots of photos, etc. I actually spoke to David McCallum when planning that convention.

 

[jimmy the lid]

You know, I had honestly forgotten about "Thrush"...lol

Nevertheless, about a month ago, I did identify a suspicious type here on the Lounge...:eeek:

Didn't you play a villain on an episode of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."? (if I recall correctly, you were the diabolical inventor of an avalanche machine...)