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Panama Hat Thread

Bill Hughes

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,162
Location
North Texas
I acquired this hat from Alex aka @ofcoursemyhorse a couple of months ago. It's a Gus Miller from Batsakes Bros.

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It was kinda crinkled (the box was damaged in shipping). And it was also tight on my head. So I sent it to Art Fawcett. I changed from an Optimo to a Gatsby dent. Gatsby is the name Brent Black calls this bash. Anyway, it arrived today. I have counted in several places. The lowest WPI I counted was 1517 (37x41).

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Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,822
Location
Denmark
I acquired this hat from Alex aka @ofcoursemyhorse a couple of months ago. It's a Gus Miller from Batsakes Bros.

View attachment 179306 View attachment 179307 View attachment 179308

It was kinda crinkled (the box was damaged in shipping). And it was also tight on my head. So I sent it to Art Fawcett. I changed from an Optimo to a Gatsby dent. Gatsby is the name Brent Black calls this bash. Anyway, it arrived today. I have counted in several places. The lowest WPI I counted was 1517 (37x41).

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That is one super straw, Bill. I was envious at the first photos. After Mr. Fawcett's remake, my jaw dropped. Congrats.

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk
 
Messages
18,382
Location
Nederland
I acquired this hat from Alex aka @ofcoursemyhorse a couple of months ago. It's a Gus Miller from Batsakes Bros.

View attachment 179306 View attachment 179307 View attachment 179308

It was kinda crinkled (the box was damaged in shipping). And it was also tight on my head. So I sent it to Art Fawcett. I changed from an Optimo to a Gatsby dent. Gatsby is the name Brent Black calls this bash. Anyway, it arrived today. I have counted in several places. The lowest WPI I counted was 1517 (37x41).

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That is one awesome hat. Bill. I like how the optimo ridge still shows through in the new shape. Wonderful.
 

Cornshucker77

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,691
Location
Northeast Nebraska, USA
I acquired this hat from Alex aka @ofcoursemyhorse a couple of months ago. It's a Gus Miller from Batsakes Bros.

View attachment 179306 View attachment 179307 View attachment 179308

It was kinda crinkled (the box was damaged in shipping). And it was also tight on my head. So I sent it to Art Fawcett. I changed from an Optimo to a Gatsby dent. Gatsby is the name Brent Black calls this bash. Anyway, it arrived today. I have counted in several places. The lowest WPI I counted was 1517 (37x41).

View attachment 179311 View attachment 179312 View attachment 179313 View attachment 179314 View attachment 179316 View attachment 179318 View attachment 179319
Bill that is beautiful. What a great job Art did.
 

Wyldkarma

One Too Many
Messages
1,805
Location
Austin, TX
I acquired this hat from Alex aka @ofcoursemyhorse a couple of months ago. It's a Gus Miller from Batsakes Bros.

View attachment 179306 View attachment 179307 View attachment 179308

It was kinda crinkled (the box was damaged in shipping). And it was also tight on my head. So I sent it to Art Fawcett. I changed from an Optimo to a Gatsby dent. Gatsby is the name Brent Black calls this bash. Anyway, it arrived today. I have counted in several places. The lowest WPI I counted was 1517 (37x41).

View attachment 179311 View attachment 179312 View attachment 179313 View attachment 179314 View attachment 179316 View attachment 179318 View attachment 179319
Amazing hat and even more amazing transformation. I had no idea a Panama straw could be altered so dramatically. Simply beautiful.
 

Bill Hughes

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,162
Location
North Texas

Wyldkarma

One Too Many
Messages
1,805
Location
Austin, TX
Really like the rolled brim.
Thanks Bill. Me too. Its designed, I believe, in a Plantation style. But I steamed the brim and snapped the front and back down just a bit to comform to my likes. Fun hat for backyard bbqs, going to the lake, and casual adventures. It looks almost mint except for some very light stains on the cloth sweatband.
 
Last edited:
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
Here is an old montecristi that I love but don't wear often. I found it about ten years ago, with its box from the Pittsburgh department store Kaufmanns. I believe it cost $35, freight included. At some point it was brought in to L.C. Rossen to be cleaned and renovated so it bears their tags and labels too. My guess is the hat dates from the 1930s, perhaps earlier. The crown is straight and tall (5") the brim is narrow, under 2 1/4". There is much golden patina. I picture Warner Oland every time I pull it out.

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Wyldkarma

One Too Many
Messages
1,805
Location
Austin, TX
The following dialog was taken from Brent Blacks website referring to their own Ernest Hemmingway hat version and how it came about:

“I do NOT want one of those bright white Reginald-at-the-club-looking things. Hell, I don't even want it to look new. It should look like it's been somewhere, like it has stories to tell.

“Make it a fedora. Pinches in front. Teardrop-shaped island in the top. When you block it, go easy. I don't want it all crisp and ironed looking. Don't worry about it. I want it to lose the shape you give it, as it takes the shape I give it. It should be shaped by life, by experience, by the occasional careless handling, by being too dumb to come in out of the rain once in awhile, by a bottle of Havana Club and some rummy idea about what a brim should look like, maybe even by thoughtless idiots who don't know enough to keep their damn hands off another man's hat.

“Don't be stingy with the brim. Give me some shade. A proper Panama should have a brim that sticks out farther than the end of my nose, not as far as the end of my cigar. Turn it down in front. Drink, smoke, and cuss while you're making it.

That exactly describes how I feel about this recently aquired Equadorian Supernatural. Its a 40's / 50's era hat that is still in really excellent shape but has been well worn. Some loose threads in the hatband, some wear and chips on the leather sweat, and I can smell the hints of age in this hat, not musty or moldy, but rather like it's been hiding away in great grand dads closet for a long time, and every now and then, I smell a very light hint of cigar smoke as I put it on wear it throughout the day. This is a hat that has been somewhere and has stories to tell. If only it could talk. ;)

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Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,832
Location
Central Texas
Yep, that's the kind of hat I'd like to have. My VS Milan wears something like that and I love it!

The following dialog was taken from Brent Blacks website referring to their own Ernest Hemmingway hat version and how it came about:

“I do NOT want one of those bright white Reginald-at-the-club-looking things. Hell, I don't even want it to look new. It should look like it's been somewhere, like it has stories to tell.

“Make it a fedora. Pinches in front. Teardrop-shaped island in the top. When you block it, go easy. I don't want it all crisp and ironed looking. Don't worry about it. I want it to lose the shape you give it, as it takes the shape I give it. It should be shaped by life, by experience, by the occasional careless handling, by being too dumb to come in out of the rain once in awhile, by a bottle of Havana Club and some rummy idea about what a brim should look like, maybe even by thoughtless idiots who don't know enough to keep their damn hands off another man's hat.

“Don't be stingy with the brim. Give me some shade. A proper Panama should have a brim that sticks out farther than the end of my nose, not as far as the end of my cigar. Turn it down in front. Drink, smoke, and cuss while you're making it.

That exactly describes how I feel about this recently aquired Equadorian Supernatural. Its a 40's / 50's era hat that is still in really excellent shape but has been well worn. Some loose threads in the hatband, some wear and chips on the leather sweat, and I can smell the hints of age in this hat, not musty or moldy, but rather like it's been hiding away in great grand dads closet for a long time, and every now and then, I smell a very light hint of cigar smoke as I put it on wear it throughout the day. This is a hat that has been somewhere and has stories to tell. If only it could talk. ;)

View attachment 180903
View attachment 180904 View attachment 180905
View attachment 180906 View attachment 180907
View attachment 180908
 
Messages
18,382
Location
Nederland
Here is an old montecristi that I love but don't wear often. I found it about ten years ago, with its box from the Pittsburgh department store Kaufmanns. I believe it cost $35, freight included. At some point it was brought in to L.C. Rossen to be cleaned and renovated so it bears their tags and labels too. My guess is the hat dates from the 1930s, perhaps earlier. The crown is straight and tall (5") the brim is narrow, under 2 1/4". There is much golden patina. I picture Warner Oland every time I pull it out.

081619_2.jpg


081619_3.jpg


081619_4.jpg


081619_5.jpg


081619_6.jpg


081619_7.jpg


warner_oland.jpg


081619_1.jpg
Stunning hat, Alan. Always nice to see these "survivor" hats here. Wonderful quality and basically works of art.
 
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
The following dialog was taken from Brent Blacks website referring to their own Ernest Hemmingway hat version and how it came about:

“I do NOT want one of those bright white Reginald-at-the-club-looking things. Hell, I don't even want it to look new. It should look like it's been somewhere, like it has stories to tell.

“Make it a fedora. Pinches in front. Teardrop-shaped island in the top. When you block it, go easy. I don't want it all crisp and ironed looking. Don't worry about it. I want it to lose the shape you give it, as it takes the shape I give it. It should be shaped by life, by experience, by the occasional careless handling, by being too dumb to come in out of the rain once in awhile, by a bottle of Havana Club and some rummy idea about what a brim should look like, maybe even by thoughtless idiots who don't know enough to keep their damn hands off another man's hat.

“Don't be stingy with the brim. Give me some shade. A proper Panama should have a brim that sticks out farther than the end of my nose, not as far as the end of my cigar. Turn it down in front. Drink, smoke, and cuss while you're making it.

That exactly describes how I feel about this recently aquired Equadorian Supernatural. Its a 40's / 50's era hat that is still in really excellent shape but has been well worn. Some loose threads in the hatband, some wear and chips on the leather sweat, and I can smell the hints of age in this hat, not musty or moldy, but rather like it's been hiding away in great grand dads closet for a long time, and every now and then, I smell a very light hint of cigar smoke as I put it on wear it throughout the day. This is a hat that has been somewhere and has stories to tell. If only it could talk. ;)

View attachment 180903
View attachment 180904 View attachment 180905
View attachment 180906 View attachment 180907
View attachment 180908

A great looking hat and from Gimbels no less... two thumbs up!
 

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,822
Location
Denmark
Wearing my way through my collection of hand woven Ecuadorian hats I come to this unbranded example with NRA label. Not fine or precious but a remarkable survivor with handsome period dimensions - a 2" brim, 4 1/2" crown and 3/4" Playboy narrow ribbon.

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081919_7.jpg


081919_1.jpg
Another nice example of Ecuadorian hatmanship, Alan. It may well not be fine or precious, but it certainly is one many would love in their collection. Thanks for sharing.

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk
 
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
Another nice example of Ecuadorian hatmanship, Alan. It may well not be fine or precious, but it certainly is one many would love in their collection. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Steve... I spent some time with this hat over the weekend trying to restore the crown shape which had fallen a bit like a failed soufflé. It responded well and was a pleasure to wear this morning.
 

Altiori

One of the Regulars
Messages
112
Location
Savannah, GA
The following dialog was taken from Brent Blacks website referring to their own Ernest Hemmingway hat version and how it came about:

“I do NOT want one of those bright white Reginald-at-the-club-looking things. Hell, I don't even want it to look new. It should look like it's been somewhere, like it has stories to tell.

“Make it a fedora. Pinches in front. Teardrop-shaped island in the top. When you block it, go easy. I don't want it all crisp and ironed looking. Don't worry about it. I want it to lose the shape you give it, as it takes the shape I give it. It should be shaped by life, by experience, by the occasional careless handling, by being too dumb to come in out of the rain once in awhile, by a bottle of Havana Club and some rummy idea about what a brim should look like, maybe even by thoughtless idiots who don't know enough to keep their damn hands off another man's hat.

“Don't be stingy with the brim. Give me some shade. A proper Panama should have a brim that sticks out farther than the end of my nose, not as far as the end of my cigar. Turn it down in front. Drink, smoke, and cuss while you're making it.

That exactly describes how I feel about this recently aquired Equadorian Supernatural. Its a 40's / 50's era hat that is still in really excellent shape but has been well worn. Some loose threads in the hatband, some wear and chips on the leather sweat, and I can smell the hints of age in this hat, not musty or moldy, but rather like it's been hiding away in great grand dads closet for a long time, and every now and then, I smell a very light hint of cigar smoke as I put it on wear it throughout the day. This is a hat that has been somewhere and has stories to tell. If only it could talk. ;)

View attachment 180903
View attachment 180904 View attachment 180905
View attachment 180906 View attachment 180907
View attachment 180908


That is a beauty. Excellent find.
 

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