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Messages
11,630
Smithbilt sugar white skinny ribbon:
I wouldn’t have considered a Smithbilt as I associate them with cheap wool hats and low quality props/souvenirs for the Calgary Stampede. This is what convinced me to try it:
1. Art Fawcett was the seller
2. Art said it was quality fur felt
3. Art assured me it would easily size up to my 7 5/8 LO
4. The original box has a 1953 post mark

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Tremendous!
 
Messages
18,378
Location
Nederland
Dobbs Fifteen Homburg

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Dobbs Fifteen Homburg
Light Grey Felt
5 inch crown with center dent (5 5/8 open)
2 inch black grosgrain ribbon
2 1/4 brim to curl with 1/2 inch contrasting grosgrain binding
1 7/8 soft brown sweatband
Oil skin liner tip

This one arrived a few weeks back. Finally had the chance to post it. Beautiful light grey Dobbs Homburg Fifteen. Fairly soft crown allows shaping as desired... but easily pops right back to its preferred center dent On the 5 inch crown as bashed (manufacturing tag indicated 5 5/8 I’m guessing when open) The brim is quite nice at 2 1/4 to the curl and features a great looking contrasting grosgrain edge. The sweatband is soft and supple. There are a few moth nibbles and one small thread loose on the Brim binding... can prob be clipped . But nothing too bad at all. All this one needed was a very light brushing to get off some dust mostly on the ribbon. The manufacturing tag points to 1950s. I’m guessing early 50s with the oilskin liner tip... I’m sure I’ll be corrected :) This grey homburg specifically checked one of my boxes As being just that and I’m really happy with it.

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Classic homburg; hard to beat. Love it!
 
Messages
18,378
Location
Nederland
Got a tip, took a trip, up I 65 N a ways. Where I met a man, with hat in hand, such as I haven’t held in my days. I gave him cash, and left in a flash, lest he realize what he’d just given away. From TN to AL, this ones here to stay.

Actually, this one came from a really nice guy I met in Franklin, TN who is prepping for a move back to MA in August.

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That is lovely, Greg. A hat to be lyrical about for sure.
 
Messages
18,378
Location
Nederland
Dobbs Westward Silverbelly

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Dobbs Westward Silverbelly
4 7/8 crown as shaped - about 5 1/2 open
3/8 TAR grosgrain ribbon
2 1/2 brim with 1/8 matching grosgrain binding
Wind trolley

This Dobbs Westward open road clone came to me off a hot tip from @Frunobulax After some investigation with @M Hatman we have come to a 1960s estimate for age and the manufacturing tag supports this finding. This is one really nice and well made hat. The very light tan silverbelly felt does very much have the feel of the late 50s early 60s. A bit thicker and more dense... but still holds a shape real well and was a wonderful hand to it. There were a few dirty spots on the felt I was mostly able to scuff out upon arrival. A tiny bit of steam will smooth out the couple small divots in the back of the crown. That is about it.. really nice hat. This one I think will grow on me fast. It reminds me a lot of a late 60s Adam Mainliner I have. Will have to compare them soon.

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The hats seem to keep flooding in, Joe. Another cool find.
 
Messages
18,378
Location
Nederland

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,145
Location
Wakayama, Japan
I started the summer with just two paper Baileys and a Mila Schön cheesecutter. I now have a Montecristi, a Knox raffia and today I came home to this Akubra Range hemp hat. That should do me for this summer...should do.
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These Akubras come with a black ribbon and one other colour that is the luck of the draw.
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I’m happy enough with the colour I got, but my only worry is that I’m not confident about changing it for the black (and back again depending on my mood). I’ll do a search myself but if anyone knows a good YouTube video on how to do it, I’d appreciate the link.

Edit: I found a video and had a good look at the other ribbon (should that be “pug”?) and I think I have it sorted...not in a hurry to change it, though.
 
Last edited:
Messages
11,630
I started the summer with just two paper Baileys and a Mila Schön cheesecutter. I now have a Montecristi, a Knox raffia and today I came home to this Akubra Range hemp hat. That should do me for this summer...should do. View attachment 247757 View attachment 247758 View attachment 247759
These Akubras come with a black ribbon and one other colour that is the luck of the draw.
View attachment 247761
I’m happy enough with the colour I got, but my only worry is that I’m not confident about changing it for the black (and back again depending on my mood). I’ll do a search myself but if anyone knows a good YouTube video on how to do it, I’d appreciate the link.

Edit: I found a video and had a good look at the other ribbon (should that be “pug”?) and I think I have it sorted...not in a hurry to change it, though.
Great looking new hat. Yeah.. pugs are fairly easy swap out... I think you got it. :)
 
Messages
11,630
Dobbs Jet 707

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Dobbs Jet 707
Cordova - Brown felt
4 1/2 crown as shaped
2 inch brown grosgrain ribbon
1 7/8 underwelt brim

This Dobbs was a hat I took a flyer on for $4 instead of letting it float away with no bids. What I had thought From the photos was another black or possibly charcoal grey with an interesting purplish ribbon turned out to be this dark brown (Cordova) Dobbs Jet 707 With a brown to reddish brown ribbon. I would say a few pieces of evidence point to this as a post 1972 hat. Glued in liner... The Dobbs coach logo with circle R registered trademark... the manufacturing tag looks different than the 60s and the sales tag with details attached to the sweatband. A fun punchy little hat that gives me a strong up brim vibe.

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Messages
18,378
Location
Nederland
Dobbs Jet 707

View attachment 248097

Dobbs Jet 707
Cordova - Brown felt
4 1/2 crown as shaped
2 inch brown grosgrain ribbon
1 7/8 underwelt brim

This Dobbs was a hat I took a flyer on for $4 instead of letting it float away with no bids. What I had thought From the photos was another black or possibly charcoal grey with an interesting purplish ribbon turned out to be this dark brown (Cordova) Dobbs Jet 707 With a brown to reddish brown ribbon. I would say a few pieces of evidence point to this as a post 1972 hat. Glued in liner... The Dobbs coach logo with circle R registered trademark... the manufacturing tag looks different than the 60s and the sales tag with details attached to the sweatband. A fun punchy little hat that gives me a strong up brim vibe.

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You landed that one nicely, Joe. Neat little hat.
 
Messages
18,378
Location
Nederland
It has been months since anything decent came along, but here's one I found this week. Seller was so delighted that someone put in a fair offer that he shipped it over for free. Nice bloke.
Borsalino Suprema in Bismuto. Size 60 with the bound brim at 5,5cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. Fairly lightweight at 110 grams. Early to mid sixties for this one.

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Messages
11,630
It has been months since anything decent came along, but here's one I found this week. Seller was so delighted that someone put in a fair offer that he shipped it over for free. Nice bloke.
Borsalino Suprema in Bismuto. Size 60 with the bound brim at 5,5cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. Fairly lightweight at 110 grams. Early to mid sixties for this one.

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Great new addition Stefan. Glad it was able to find it’s way safely to you.
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
It has been months since anything decent came along, but here's one I found this week. Seller was so delighted that someone put in a fair offer that he shipped it over for free. Nice bloke.
Borsalino Suprema in Bismuto. Size 60 with the bound brim at 5,5cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. Fairly lightweight at 110 grams. Early to mid sixties for this one.

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Very nice Stefan! I'll have to go back through this thread with a fine toothed comb, been so bad about keeping up. I do love the tone of gray in Bismutto. This one is a sweetheart of a Borso!
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
OK, I know I've been bad about keeping up, trying to make amends. Put in a low bid on this Gordon 1930s Derby never expecting to win. $32.00 later, this pristine stiff felt was in my collection last week. Not the best weather for derby wearing, but cool mornings coming up, I'll get a head shot posted. The auction images just barely showed the NRA c.1935(?) tag, cool liner tip with an interesting maker and great condition. Nice addition to my derby stable.

15Jul20 Gordon Derby crown 550x.jpg
15Jul20 Gordon Derby profile 550x.jpg
15Jul20 Gordon Derby liner 550x.jpg
15Jul20 Gordon Derby tip logo 550x.jpg
15Jul20 Gordon Derby NRA tag 550x.jpg
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Some of you may have seen this one posted on Facebook (I spend too much Covid Lock Down time there lately), another Mike Miller creation that I picked up last Thursday. Mike knew that I was coveting the original Winchester black cherry felt dye color, the current one is way too black. He got a hold of some old bodies from Art and set one aside for me. The color is just perfect! It is not as "purple" as some of my images picked up in the sunshine. Ever since I saw Bill Hughes' double tear drop crown, I had to try one, it really picks up the shine of the black cherry. I went with a medium gray ribbon and gills, gills, gills (my favorite). I told him to surprise me on the brim treatment, I was very pleased. This one will get some serious head time this winter.

16Jul20 Black Cherry side rear 550x.jpg
16Jul20 Black Cherry NW Hats sign 600x.jpg
16Jul20 Black Cherry crown 550x.jpg
16Jul20 Black Cherry binding detail 550x.jpg
16Jul20 Black Cherry liner  550x.jpg
 
Messages
11,630
Some of you may have seen this one posted on Facebook (I spend too much Covid Lock Down time there lately), another Mike Miller creation that I picked up last Thursday. Mike knew that I was coveting the original Winchester black cherry felt dye color, the current one is way too black. He got a hold of some old bodies from Art and set one aside for me. The color is just perfect! It is not as "purple" as some of my images picked up in the sunshine. Ever since I saw Bill Hughes' double tear drop crown, I had to try one, it really picks up the shine of the black cherry. I went with a medium gray ribbon and gills, gills, gills (my favorite). I told him to surprise me on the brim treatment, I was very pleased. This one will get some serious head time this winter.

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So beautiful Mike! Congratulations. Enjoy
 
Messages
19,408
Location
Funkytown, USA
Some of you may have seen this one posted on Facebook (I spend too much Covid Lock Down time there lately), another Mike Miller creation that I picked up last Thursday. Mike knew that I was coveting the original Winchester black cherry felt dye color, the current one is way too black. He got a hold of some old bodies from Art and set one aside for me. The color is just perfect! It is not as "purple" as some of my images picked up in the sunshine. Ever since I saw Bill Hughes' double tear drop crown, I had to try one, it really picks up the shine of the black cherry. I went with a medium gray ribbon and gills, gills, gills (my favorite). I told him to surprise me on the brim treatment, I was very pleased. This one will get some serious head time this winter.

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Good gets, Mike. And good to see you. I try to keep up as well, but the lack of going out keeps me from WHAYWT, and a rather unsuccessful run at hat acquisition keeps me from others.

Hope you are doing well.
 

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