Panama Hat styles of late 19th century

[Chasseur]

I've done some searching but I've not come up with any good hits. If I've missed an existing thread please let me know.

I am curious about panama hat styles from the second half of the 19th century, in particular the 1880s.

Thank you

 

[Rabbit]

This must be a tough one. I am curious about this subject, too.

I have no information on Panamas of that period, but here is a catalogue scan of straw hats, meaning Boaters and other non-Panamas, from the 1890s. The exact date of the catalogue is unknown.

Image taken from Canadian Mail Order Catalogues 1880-1975

 

[tropicalbob]

I've always thought that Panama hats only became popular in the U.S. after the building of the Panama Canal and our subsequent involvement there.

 

[Chasseur]

Thank you gents! I've read that they pre-date the canal in US in the Western/Northern world (some have said their use in the US from the 1849 Gold Rush etc.) but that the popular image of the "Panama hat" dates back to US involvement in the canal at the turn of the century. I've thought that variants of the "Optimo" or the "Gambler/Plantation" styles would be most common in the 19th century, but I don't have much proof for that other than films and some photos.

 

[Rabbit]

I would speculate that Boaters and other straw hats with stiff construction, like the ones in the above catalogue page, were much more prevalent than Panama hats, in accordance with the general preference for stiff hats. Ads like this one from a 1910 Hawes/ von Gal ad would indicate this. Of course, this is just an ad, and only one ad at that.
I'm referring here to the mention of straw hats and derbys versus soft hats. The wording suggests that they mean stiff constructed straw hats.

I agree that Optimos and Panama Gamblers, possibly Panama Homburgs as well, were likely the first Panama hat styles to appear in industrial countries.

Another question is, speculating that U.S. Americans (and the English) wore Panama hats during stays in the South American tropics before they eventually adopted the style to their home countries, when did that happen?

I still couldn't find any further information about the early days of soft hats (felt hats, that is) before the 1880s "Fedora" marketing label and the woven hats made from toquilla before the 1900s "Panama hat" marketing label. Although the timeframe is clearly outside the Lounge's main interest, it is still a little awkward that we can't come up with some evidence, isn't it?

 

[Denton]

There's this great hat that Joshbru3 posted a couple years ago in the "Pre-1940s Dress Hats" thread. Maybe 19th century, maybe early 20th century. It has a flat top, but not exactly shaped like a boater.

I received this a couple months ago, but for some reason forgot to post it. I knew it wasn't in the best shape, but I just thought it was SO cool. The crown and flange make me think it could be late 1890's, or very early 1900's. The hat also uses an exposed reed on the front to hold the front of the sweatband slightly off the straw. It looks like another way that hatters tried to solve the sweatband "sweat-through" problem.

 

[Chasseur]

That's a neat hat. Like an early straw porkpie. Thanks for adding to the thread!

 

[mayserwegener]

I would speculate that Boaters and other straw hats with stiff construction, like the ones in the above catalogue page, were much more prevalent than Panama hats, in accordance with the general preference for stiff hats. Ads like this one from a 1910 Hawes/ von Gal ad would indicate this. Of course, this is just an ad, and only one ad at that.
I'm referring here to the mention of straw hats and derbys versus soft hats. The wording suggests that they mean stiff constructed straw hats.


I agree that Optimos and Panama Gamblers, possibly Panama Homburgs as well, were likely the first Panama hat styles to appear in industrial countries.

Another question is, speculating that U.S. Americans (and the English) wore Panama hats during stays in the South American tropics before they eventually adopted the style to their home countries, when did that happen?

I still couldn't find any further information about the early days of soft hats (felt hats, that is) before the 1880s "Fedora" marketing label and the woven hats made from toquilla before the 1900s "Panama hat" marketing label. Although the timeframe is clearly outside the Lounge's main interest, it is still a little awkward that we can't come up with some evidence, isn't it?

They were worn in Europe during the same time periods (various styles). You also have to include the women's market.

Just a quick search of Panamahut produced this mention of a Panama-hut from 1861.

".... wearing a Panama hat with velvet ribbon ...."

http://books.google.com/books?id=a4JUAAAAYAAJ&dq=panamahut&source=gbs_navlinks_s

 

[fedoracentric]

They wore straw hats during the American Civil War. Many southerners, especially the deep south, wore straws.

 

[mayserwegener]

I have no idea when the term "Panama Hat" was first used but my guess is it goes way back (at least to the American Civil War time period).

 

[mingoslim]

I think that the term Panama Hat goes back to the turn of the 20th century, when the Panama Canal was being built . . . Europeans and North americans who worked on the Canal were introduced to the straw hats of Ecuador, and brought them back to the US and Europe, where they got the (mis)name Panama . . .
Slim

 

[mayserwegener]

Did you see my post? It goes back to at least the mid 1800s probably further. People from America and Europe went there before the Panama Canal.

 

[fedoracentric]

Did you see my post? It goes back to at least the mid 1800s probably further.

Exactly.

 

[rlk]

1901
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1901-07-28/ed-1/seq-8.pdf

 

[fedoracentric]

View attachment 14323

1901
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1901-07-28/ed-1/seq-8.pdf

Interesting, and since the USA didn't get involved in the canal until, what 1904, or so...?? That could note that "Panama Hats" were in use long before our involvement in the canal.

 

[Brad Bowers]

My recollection is that Americans first ran across these when they were crossing either Panama or Nicaragua during the California Gold Rush in 1849. Even though they were woven in Ecuador, they picked them up in Panama, hence the name. I don't know if that's accurate, but that's certainly plausible. There were American companies doing business in Panama by the 1860s at least, so exposure could go back quite a ways. I have no doubt that construction of the Canal made a huge difference in sales in the US, though.

Brad

 

[Chasseur]

My recollection is that Americans first ran across these when they were crossing either Panama or Nicaragua during the California Gold Rush in 1849. Even though they were woven in Ecuador, they picked them up in Panama, hence the name. I don't know if that's accurate, but that's certainly plausible. There were American companies doing business in Panama by the 1860s at least, so exposure could go back quite a ways. I have no doubt that construction of the Canal made a huge difference in sales in the US, though.

Brad

That is my understanding as well.

Thank you all for contributing to the thread!

 

[Stanley Doble]

There's this great hat that Joshbru3 posted a couple years ago in the "Pre-1940s Dress Hats" thread. Maybe 19th century, maybe early 20th century. It has a flat top, but not exactly shaped like a boater.

Reminds me of the hat Reverend Drone wore in Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, ca 1910

 

[buler]

1831 reference in googlebooks, Blackwood's magazine.

http://books.google.com/books?id=YL...E0QuwUwAg#v=onepage&q=1831 panama hat&f=false

B

 

[buler]

One explanation of how the hat got it's name. From the Clothier and Furnisher, 1918.

B