Now Forming! the Campaign Hat Corps

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, then. Here's an interesting recent find. Made by Hobson & Sons of Lexington St, W1 (Now W1R). As far as I can tell, they owned Lexington St. and used it as their main workshop and also had a retail outlet. Hobson & Sons were a military uniform company, and their history would suggest that they moved out of the Lexington St. address sometime in the very early 1900s (1900-1910). So, maybe a tentative date there?

Anyway, it's a very dark green with much blue hue in it. There are two vents on either side of the crown. The crown is 5" in the centre when creased liek this (how it came to me) and 3.5" front and back. Lots of reverse taper. The brim is a whopping 3.5" and the sweatband is 2.25". The ribbon is no longer present, but from the differential fading around the base of the crown, i'd say it was about 5/8"-6/8". Thin grosgrain ribbon edge binding.

Enjoy.

bk

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Well, then. Here's an interesting recent find.

bk

You, sir are a master of UNDERSTATEMENT! Well done. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[deanglen]

Baron, your expression from beneath that wide brimmed, tall crowned 'fore and aft' bashed beauty is priceless!:eusa_clap What terrific hat crying out for a ribbon and bow treament, but I imagine it won't receive one to maintain the integrity of it's vintage state. Of course, you could put a puggaree on it, mate!

dean

 

[dostacos]

ok here is my boy scout hat and a pair of Aussie Slouch hats

the top Aussie is an Akubra the other is a much softer no name that is actually more comfortable

 

[deanglen]

Very nice, Dostacos, you're inducted. Welcome to the Corps.

dean

 

[dostacos]

Very nice, Dostacos, you're inducted. Welcome to the Corps.

dean

thank you, how about a stripe per hat

 

[deanglen]

thank you, how about a stripe per hat

Done! Congratulations, Sargent!

dean

 

[Speedster]

The fourth one has been edited for content.

dean

Those are fantastic pictures, dean. Rope soled espadrillos, bow tie and what have you. But the guy with the single action in the last picture is still about to blow his comrades head off.

Here are a few pictures of me with the Campaign hat and SpanAm War outfit taken last Saturday 8 September at our Cowboy Action Shooting. Still missing some stuff and the guns and ammobelt and holster is not as per regulation. But seeing the above pictures, with rope soled shoes and bow ties etc, i'm not too worried yet. I will eventually get there.

But the best of all... one of my shooting buddies, who collects old Colt Single Actions, just showed me his latest purchase: cal .45 with 5 1/2 inch bbl and markings for B Co. 3rd Cavalry 1890. The perfect match for the Campaign Hat:

 

[deanglen]

Rene, I feel like a parent who has seen their child, (the hat, in this case) in wedding photographs with the perfect spouse! You do that hat way above proud! :eusa_clap Can't thank you enough for those pictures! Decided not to tea stain the ribbon and bow, eh? I should have done it before I sent it to you. Coffee works, too. Tea does a more uniform job. Coffee is faster and darker but tends to cause areas where it's darker, as near the bow. Actually furniture stain is best for uniformity and tint setting. A light oak is perfect. I pretty sure you won't try it...but if you do, amd you don't like the results I'd happily forward a new ribbon and bow to you for replacement. The shots with pistol are frameable art. Thanks, again! Remember the Maine!

dean

 

[deanglen]

Rene, I feel like a parent who has seen their child, (the hat, in this case) in wedding photographs with the perfect spouse! You do that hat way above proud! :eusa_clap Can't thank you enough for those pictures! Decided not to tea stain the ribbon and bow, eh? I should have done it before I sent it to you. Coffee works, too. Tea does a more uniform job. Coffee is faster and darker but tends to cause areas where it's darker, as near the bow. Actually furniture stain is best for uniformity and tint setting. A light oak is perfect. I pretty sure you won't try it...but if you do, and you don't like the results, I'd happily forward a new ribbon and bow to you for replacement. The shots with pistol are frameable art. Thanks, again! Remember the Maine!

dean

 

[indycop]

Those are fantastic pictures, dean. Rope soled espadrillos, bow tie and what have you. But the guy with the single action in the last picture is still about to blow his comrades head off.

Here are a few pictures of me with the Campaign hat and SpanAm War outfit taken last Saturday 8 September at our Cowboy Action Shooting. Still missing some stuff and the guns and ammobelt and holster is not as per regulation. But seeing the above pictures, with rope soled shoes and bow ties etc, i'm not too worried yet. I will eventually get there.

But the best of all... one of my shooting buddies, who collects old Colt Single Actions, just showed me his latest purchase: cal .45 with 5 1/2 inch bbl and markings for B Co. 3rd Cavalry 1890. The perfect match for the Campaign Hat:

Man that is awesome!!! Lay some teddy specs down there with it and that would be a cool one to put on the wall!

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Decided not to tea stain the ribbon and bow, eh? I should have done it before I sent it to you. Coffee works, too. Tea does a more uniform job. Coffee is faster and darker but tends to cause areas where it's darker, as near the bow. Actually furniture stain is best for uniformity and tint setting. dean

Dean, Do you only do that with the ribbon and bow, or with the felt, as well? Thanks, JTM

 

[deanglen]

Dean, Do you only do that with the ribbon and bow, or with the felt, as well? Thanks, JTM

Just the ribbon now. I tried it on the felt but I couldn't get it to "set" unless I sprayed some form of fixative. Resorting to stain on the felt turned the felt spotty in places. I don't really know why. I have to admit that this was back when I was first experimenting and trying anything I could think of to give my campaign hat reproductions a more weathered, more "vintage" appearence.

This hat was a coffee stained project, to color both felt and ribbon:

I liked how it turned out. Had to spray fixative to "set" the tint.

dean

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Dean, That really looks pretty good! What was your fixative?

JTM

 

[deanglen]

Dean, That really looks pretty good! What was your fixative?

J.T. First, I did not edit your post. I hit the wrong button and typed my answer into your post and had to remove it.:eusa_doh: Sorry. Anyway I used Water Resisting Spray I had for some shoes. It worked great.

dean

 

[Story]

'Wild Bunch' repro uniforms

Stumbled upon this catalog page - don't think it was posted before?
http://www.cooncreekoldwest.com/wildb.htm

 

[Speedster]

Rene, I feel like a parent who has seen their child, (the hat, in this case) in wedding photographs with the perfect spouse! You do that hat way above proud! :eusa_clap Can't thank you enough for those pictures! Decided not to tea stain the ribbon and bow, eh? I should have done it before I sent it to you. Coffee works, too. Tea does a more uniform job. Coffee is faster and darker but tends to cause areas where it's darker, as near the bow. Actually furniture stain is best for uniformity and tint setting. A light oak is perfect. I pretty sure you won't try it...but if you do, and you don't like the results, I'd happily forward a new ribbon and bow to you for replacement. The shots with pistol are frameable art. Thanks, again! Remember the Maine!

dean

Thanks a lot dean.

I thought the ribbon and bow were supposed to have that colour as you copied it from a photo of an old original ribbon...?? [huh] That's why i haven't done anything to it apart from wearing it. Would it benefit from some tinting??

 

[Speedster]

Stumbled upon this catalog page - don't think it was posted before?
http://www.cooncreekoldwest.com/wildb.htm

Thanks for the link, Story.

 

[deanglen]

Thanks a lot dean.

I thought the ribbon and bow were supposed to have that colour as you copied it from a photo of an old original ribbon...?? [huh] That's why i haven't done anything to it apart from wearing it. Would it benefit from some tinting??

You know, I'm sorry to confuse you, I'm sure it's fine. It's true I've seen light colored ones in photos of originals. I've seen some that are brown, some that are a bit golden in color but that could be a patina from age. I just think it would look a little more "rough", I guess I look at it and it looks a bit too "clean". There definitely was a variation in colors of ribbon, just look at these originals:

You can do as you see fit. All I was saying was that if you needed further support, you've got it.

dean

 

[dostacos]

what would be the best choice to bash into a Rough rider hat?????