Panama Hat Thread

[mayserwegener]

I converted this from a $16.00 women's Panama (Cuenca) I found. Number 322, 5 1/4, 7 1/4 Block. Crown 5 inches creased with 2 inch brim. New sweatband and pug.

 

[Chepstow]

BR, very nice Panama. Great wide brim. The sun can come.

Steve, again, good job. I like the ribbon on that.

 

[Shangas]

Unfortunately, Photobucket is being a pain in the ass. The best I could do was these:

I bought this today at the flea-market for $35. It's a Montecristi Panama, size 58. It was brand new.

Did I do good?

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Saw a car at the Pardeeville Antique Mall today with three Panama Hats on the package tray, had Illinois plates. Fellow Lounger?

 

[DJH]

Did I do good?

I'd say you did!

 

[carouselvic]

I bought this today at the flea-market for $35. It's a Montecristi Panama, size 58. It was brand new.

Did I do good?

The hat is a Cuenca brisa weave. The price is in reason.

 

[Shangas]

I wasn't looking for anything super-fancy. A panama that was light, airy, comfortable, fit well, from a good maker and which didn't bust the bank was what I was after. I've been chasing one for a while, but all the prices I've seen made them just...scary-expensive. From like $500 and down. The cheapest that I could find, retail, was about $85, and that was already half-price.

I bought that one from the local flea-market, from a chap who sells brand-new, and second-hand hats. He had a rather nice array of trilbies, homburgs, fedoras, an old top-hat and some caps and other cheaper, what I call 'fashion' hats.

He said that his Panamas had been selling like hotcakes and that I was lucky to find one that still fit me! I told him about the Fedora Lounge. Maybe he'll get interested.

 

[Panamabob]

I wasn't looking for anything super-fancy. A panama that was light, airy, comfortable, fit well, from a good maker and which didn't bust the bank was what I was after. I've been chasing one for a while, but all the prices I've seen made them just...scary-expensive. From like $500 and down. The cheapest that I could find, retail, was about $85, and that was already half-price.

I bought that one from the local flea-market, from a chap who sells brand-new, and second-hand hats. He had a rather nice array of trilbies, homburgs, fedoras, an old top-hat and some caps and other cheaper, what I call 'fashion' hats.

He said that his Panamas had been selling like hotcakes and that I was lucky to find one that still fit me! I told him about the Fedora Lounge. Maybe he'll get interested.

I could sell those like hotcakes, too, to a public that doesn't know a Cuenca brisa from a Montecristi. If he comes on the lounge, he'd better not misrepresent his hats.

 

[Shangas]

What exactly do you mean, Bob? You think I made a bad deal?

 

[Panamabob]

The hat is a Cuenca brisa weave. The price is in reason.

What exactly do you mean, Bob? You think I made a bad deal?

The price is fine, but as Carousel Vic has said, you didn't buy a Montecristi. Hopefully, the seller doesn't know what he's selling. If he does know that they are Cuenca Brisas, he should be ashamed of himself.

 

[Shangas]

I see. But did I at least buy something of quality? And no, I don't think he knew.

 

[Aureliano]

Hard to tell quality from your shots. A few close-ups would help. It looks nice, and well woven, decent block. Back-woven brim edge?

(sometimes people think that because the brim is back-woven, the hat is a Montecristi. Not always. You can find Cuenca hats with this brim finishing as well.)

 

[Panamabob]

There are very good hats with underwelts, overwelts, or backwoven with zig-zag stitch for security. Most underwelts or overwelts are done for uniformity in brim size. The hats cost the hat factories the same price with or without a back weave (Cuenca). One of the problems you run into with felt people is that they demand brims to be exact, something that is extremely hard to do in hand-woven merchandise. Naturally, to sell 10,000 hats, the company cuts and sews all of their hats so that the big hat seller can be satisfied. I do agree that sometimes it is a shortcut, but not all of the time. 99% of the hat brims from Ortega that I've purchased have had backwoven brims. 80% of Dorfzaun hats have had underwelt. 100% of the hats from the Bernal factory have had regular backweave with a clear thread zigzag sewn over for security. 99% of the hats I've purchased from the Women's Society and the pacts in Gualaceo and other small towns have been with backweave.

I'm sure this hat is a low grade Brisa and the price is certainly adequate. Borsalino asks $185.00+ (haven't been to a hat store in a while) for similar or less fine weave.

 

[Shangas]

I wish I could show you closer photos, but right now, Photobucket is not being very co-operative, and it's not allowing me to upload photos.

If you would really want extra (close-up) photos to determine the quality, I'm happy to provide them

Do you guys think this is something I was better off not buying?

 

[Aureliano]

Do you guys think this is something I was better off not buying?

The hat looks nice. I say: if you love a hat and it fits you and you can afford it... buy it.

 

[Aureliano]

Just arrived from Manabí to Worth & Worth, a wonderful example; almost as fine as my Optimo, only a little less WPSI. Brim edge finished to perfection, round and symmetrical, as they can certainly be made/commissioned and/or picked by careful hatters. I'm very happy with the block, too. Orlando calls it The Casablanca and I picked it after seeing the hat Art made for Rabbit. The color is more gold than the pictures show, it's the white light that's brightening it.

 

[zetwal]

Just arrived from Manabí to Worth & Worth, a wonderful example; almost as fine as my Optimo, only a little less WPSI.

Looks nice ... :yo:

 

[Rabbit]

Fantastic find, Ale!

 

[gqmagic]

Just arrived from Manabí to Worth & Worth, a wonderful example; almost as fine as my Optimo, only a little less WPSI. Brim edge finished to perfection, round and symmetrical, as they certainly can be made/commissioned and picked by careful/OCD hatters lol. I'm very happy with the block, too. Orlando calls it The Casablanca and I picked it after seeing the hat Art made for Rabbit. The color is more gold than the pictures show, it's the white light that's brightening it.

:eusa_clap

 

[Panamabob]

Just arrived from Manabí to Worth & Worth, a wonderful example; almost as fine as my Optimo, only a little less WPSI. Brim edge finished to perfection, round and symmetrical, as they certainly can be made/commissioned and picked by careful/OCD hatters lol. I'm very happy with the block, too. Orlando calls it The Casablanca and I picked it after seeing the hat Art made for Rabbit. The color is more gold than the pictures show, it's the white light that's brightening it.

Nice hat.