Post New Hats Here!

[steur]

Fourth one. Sools de Luxe fedora in sand/grey. Very hard to make out the exact colour. Again no label inside the hat. This hat is a very early one, probably thirties. Brim with overwelt edge with four rows of stitching sits at 6,5cm and the very tall crown is creased now with the (deep) pinch at 11,5cm (to match their advertising poster). Wide ribbon on this one. Unlined with just a cloth patch inside the crown. Very soft hat with a lovely hand to the felt. Daniele thinks that either Mossant or Fléchet could be the maker. As Gérard Sools was a high end retailer it would have been the makers' top of the line.

 

[michael78]

Nice catch! Needs a bit of TLC but looks to be a good make. I like that colour. Is there no label at all inside the hat, Mike? These English labels are pretty generic, but it could give us a clue.

Hi mate, sorry no label inside....just the sizing label, which is similar to the one on the Austin Reed i posted a while back (1930s) if you remember!

 

[Daniele Tanto]

wo new hats have arrived from a good gentleman of Verona... a Borsalino bombetta in misto grey and a soft black velour. The bombetta has an early label version, rolled sweatband construction and deep imprints that most certainly suggest it was made prior to WWII. It will become the earliest Borsalino in my collection. The velour gives away very few of its secrets of manufacture - only the store in which it was sold but the rich soft character of the longhair velour seems to suggest an origin in Austria/Germany/Czechoslovakia. Only Steve would know for certain.

Two lovely hats that fit me well... I am excited to have them after their long trip.

The Holland-Italy exchange program came up on top again. Here are the results.
First a Barbisio lobbia in the colour Umbria. Qualitá extra extra. This one was NOS, but had me confused. Like a kid lying about their age to get a drink, this one lied about its size. First I thought it had shrunk and I did put it on the rack. Not to make it confess (it didn't expect the inquisition), but to get it to the size it told me it was. Hatters are human too: the size label on he sweat is one size up (56) from the one that was hidden underneath the liner (55). It fits me now, albeit that the backseam of the sweat shows a small gap. The brim is beautifully curved and sits at 5cm and the crown reaches 10,5cm at the pinch.
Fairly stiff for an Italian made lobbia. It could pass for a bowler if creased open crown.

I can only be satisfied with the new home these hats have found in the United States and in Europe. It is always a great satisfaction to see them on someone else's head. They are going to enrich two sumptuous collections and this makes me immense pleasure, also because, some of them have been difficult to capture, but all ended well. Benissimo!

 

[michael78]

Fourth one. Sools de Luxe fedora in sand/grey. Very hard to make out the exact colour. Again no label inside the hat. This hat is a very early one, probably thirties. Brim with overwelt edge with four rows of stitching sits at 6,5cm and the very tall crown is creased now with the (deep) pinch at 11,5cm (to match their advertising poster). Wide ribbon on this one. Unlined with just a cloth patch inside the crown. Very soft hat with a lovely hand to the felt. Daniele thinks that either Mossant or Fléchet could be the maker. As Gérard Sools was a high end retailer it would have been the makers' top of the line.

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Hi Stefan, love this Sools, that crown to die for!!!....just send it to me when you get fed-up with it!!..Hee Heee!!!

 

[Frunobulax]

Fourth one. Sools de Luxe fedora in sand/grey. Very hard to make out the exact colour. Again no label inside the hat. This hat is a very early one, probably thirties. Brim with overwelt edge with four rows of stitching sits at 6,5cm and the very tall crown is creased now with the (deep) pinch at 11,5cm (to match their advertising poster). Wide ribbon on this one. Unlined with just a cloth patch inside the crown. Very soft hat with a lovely hand to the felt. Daniele thinks that either Mossant or Fléchet could be the maker. As Gérard Sools was a high end retailer it would have been the makers' top of the line.

View attachment 148854 View attachment 148855 View attachment 148856 View attachment 148857 View attachment 148859 View attachment 148860 View attachment 148861 View attachment 148862 View attachment 148863 View attachment 148864

That's a thing of beauty, Stefan. I'd echo Michael if we shared the same size.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[alanfgag]

Third one. Borsalino Lobbia in brown. The label inside the hat gives no information and comparing the colour didn't give an exact match. It's abit lighter than the Caffe and somewhat less saturated than the Folco, but it's closest to these. Let's just call it Marrone. I'm fairly certain it's a Gulaela model, with the brim at a good 5,5cm and the crown at 11cm at the pinch. Qualitá extra superiore. It doesn't like the pinches and only takes the shallowest of these. The sweatband has some texturing, which is seen more often on earlier models.

View attachment 148850

The crown shape is beautiful open and without pinches!

 

[mayserwegener]

Wegener "Cornett", 58cm early 1950s. Great form with extreme rear brim flange. The medium weight smoother finish felt is a rich brown and easily dry creases. Also a unusual + effective ribbon width.

This date stamped (02/05/1952) cinema ticket was behind the sweatband.

 

[Rmccamey]

Very cool hat, Alan, and a nice little prize inside too!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

John Cavanagh:
The felt is in incredible condition and it’s dense and wonderful and shifts from olive to mid brown depending on the light. The liner has some marks and soiling but not too bad.

The sweat is a wide supple and appears to be a replacement piece (no markings) that was only attached by basting stitches...odd. The sweat is soft and the reed is perfect. The installation was just never completed. This is my oldest Cavanagh and my first John Cavanagh. Even with the sweat issue I’m glad I got it.

I’m not sure what to make of the stamp on the back of the sweatband.

Thanks again @TheOldFashioned


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[TheOldFashioned]

John Cavanagh:
The felt is in incredible condition and it’s dense and wonderful and shifts from olive to mid brown depending on the light. The liner has some marks and soiling but not too bad.

The sweat is a wide supple and appears to be a replacement piece (no markings) that was only attached by basting stitches...odd. The sweat is soft and the reed is perfect. The installation was just never completed. This is my oldest Cavanagh and my first John Cavanagh. Even with the sweat issue I’m glad I got it.

I’m not sure what to make of the stamp on the back of the sweatband.

Thanks again @TheOldFashioned


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Whew, sounds like it's a keeper. Glad you like it!

I just did a quick search on the patent number. Just glancing through briefly your description may fit the stated design.

 

[alanfgag]

New Lo Bue, made from mid 19th century coverlet fabric.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

John Cavanagh:
The felt is in incredible condition and it’s dense and wonderful and shifts from olive to mid brown depending on the light. The liner has some marks and soiling but not too bad.

The sweat is a wide supple and appears to be a replacement piece (no markings) that was only attached by basting stitches...odd. The sweat is soft and the reed is perfect. The installation was just never completed. This is my oldest Cavanagh and my first John Cavanagh. Even with the sweat issue I’m glad I got it.

I’m not sure what to make of the stamp on the back of the sweatband.

Thanks again @TheOldFashioned


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That’s a great hat Brent. Great color. Looks like very nice felt. Total winner.
B

 

[Rockwater]

John Cavanagh:
The felt is in incredible condition and it’s dense and wonderful and shifts from olive to mid brown depending on the light. The liner has some marks and soiling but not too bad.

The sweat is a wide supple and appears to be a replacement piece (no markings) that was only attached by basting stitches...odd. The sweat is soft and the reed is perfect. The installation was just never completed. This is my oldest Cavanagh and my first John Cavanagh. Even with the sweat issue I’m glad I got it.

I’m not sure what to make of the stamp on the back of the sweatband.

Thanks again @TheOldFashioned


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Handsome hat, awesome color!

 

[ofcoursemyhorse]

Cavanagh was known for a few sweatband innovations. One of them was a button fastening system for the sweatband that was apparently designed to make sweatband replacements a more simple procedure.

 

[Cornshucker77]

Resistol Waco. A big thanks to @BobHufford, for giving me a heads up on this one!

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Nice one Ed! Looks great.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

John Cavanagh:
The felt is in incredible condition and it’s dense and wonderful and shifts from olive to mid brown depending on the light. The liner has some marks and soiling but not too bad.

The sweat is a wide supple and appears to be a replacement piece (no markings) that was only attached by basting stitches...odd. The sweat is soft and the reed is perfect. The installation was just never completed. This is my oldest Cavanagh and my first John Cavanagh. Even with the sweat issue I’m glad I got it.

I’m not sure what to make of the stamp on the back of the sweatband.

Thanks again @TheOldFashioned


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Niiice!

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[Bill Hughes]

John Cavanagh:
The felt is in incredible condition and it’s dense and wonderful and shifts from olive to mid brown depending on the light. The liner has some marks and soiling but not too bad.

The sweat is a wide supple and appears to be a replacement piece (no markings) that was only attached by basting stitches...odd. The sweat is soft and the reed is perfect. The installation was just never completed. This is my oldest Cavanagh and my first John Cavanagh. Even with the sweat issue I’m glad I got it.

I’m not sure what to make of the stamp on the back of the sweatband.

Thanks again @TheOldFashioned


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I think it’s fantastic!

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Cavanagh was known for a few sweatband innovations. One of them was a button fastening system for the sweatband that was apparently designed to make sweatband replacements a more simple procedure.

I posted a link to the patent just above (see post #39450). Looking at the drawing and reading the text it's as you describe regarding the use of buttons for quick change functionality.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I posted a link to the patent just above (see post #39450). Looking at the drawing and reading the text it's as you describe regarding the use of buttons for quick change functionality.

Thank you and @ofcoursemyhorse
The more I learn the more I realize that I don’t know much. The button attachment of the sweat is interesting. Since this sweat lacks embossing/debossing or anything else I was expecting I wonder if it was a replacement? I also wonder why the basting stitches? I really do like the hat!


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[steur]

Hi Stefan, love this Sools, that crown to die for!!!....just send it to me when you get fed-up with it!!..Hee Heee!!!

That's a thing of beauty, Stefan. I'd echo Michael if we shared the same size.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

Thanks, gents, this one isn't going anywhere (except when it's on my head).

The crown shape is beautiful open and without pinches!

Thanks, Alan. I think it's their best lobbia model.