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Messages
11,677
View attachment 441870 View attachment 441871 View attachment 441872 View attachment 441873 View attachment 441874 Very happy with this one. Not actually a new hat but my first attempt to steam a straw hat and I am as happy with it as if it just arrived in the mail.

This is my hemp Strat that was my only straw hat until a few weeks ago. I know these are pretty popular hats here and I’ve had this for three years and it has kept the sun off my head but apart from the color I never really loved it — too bland with the tapered crown and low, wide pinch. So I decided to see what I could do with a steamer.

I pushed up the pinch to 4 1/4 and pushed the back of the crease down to 3 1/2 and forced the sides out to give it more rake and less taper then squeezed the pinch to something more like my felt fedoras. And it worked beautifully—like it’s a whole new hat with a much more vintage look.

Have a good week!

David
Nice job David
 
Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
Dobesch Wien "Exquisit", 58 cm, possibly late 1950s. The Black Felt has a great Chamois finish and easily dry creases. The overall condition is excellent. It's rare to come across a Snap Brim Dobesch Wien (most are Homburgs). I would like to give a big thank you to Brent for the great tip!

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Open Crown

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Messages
18,411
Location
Nederland
Dobesch Wien "Exquisit", 58 cm, possibly late 1950s. The Black Felt has a great Chamois finish and easily dry creases. The overall condition is excellent. It's rare to come across a Snap Brim Dobesch Wien (most are Homburgs). I would like to give a big thank you to Brent for the great tip!

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52255965109_de77ee9d38_h.jpg


52255688806_dc80bde343_h.jpg


52255709493_01f58df031_h.jpg


52255967734_98c34136b1_h.jpg


52255758128_4820ff59fb_h.jpg


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Open Crown

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Very nice, Steve. I really like that brim style and we don't see Dobesch that often.
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Dobesch Wien "Exquisit", 58 cm, possibly late 1950s. The Black Felt has a great Chamois finish and easily dry creases. The overall condition is excellent. It's rare to come across a Snap Brim Dobesch Wien (most are Homburgs). I would like to give a big thank you to Brent for the great tip!

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52255976864_f309bbcc08_h.jpg


52255783418_262cbcbeef_h.jpg


52255965109_de77ee9d38_h.jpg


52255688806_dc80bde343_h.jpg


52255709493_01f58df031_h.jpg


52255967734_98c34136b1_h.jpg


52255758128_4820ff59fb_h.jpg


52255980229_b7ed45ab73_h.jpg


Open Crown

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Beautiful hat, Steve. It looked nice in the seller’s photos but you really bring out its best. I wish we knew more of its story.
 

nvilletele

One of the Regulars
Messages
137
This hat arrived today, from an eBay purchase. Mentioned in a post in the “waiting for” thread.

Biltmore Cordova Panama Hat, from 1917 anniversary collection.

The hat is size L, and fits great, though just a shade large, so added just a little behind the sweatband and it sits very nicely.

The hat has a “Dri-Lex“ sweatband which I like very much. Very comfortable. Certainly better than the ”Vom Baur” type used in some Biltmore models,
which can feel a bit constrictive sometimes. I think they are moving toward the newer Dri-Lex style generally. It’s not leather, but it’s better than many alternatives.

Overall I really like the look and feel of this hat. The size tab is paper and says made in Mexico on the back, but the hat does bear the usual official ”Woven in Ecuador” stamp on the inside. I gather this hat was just finished in Mexico, instead of the US where Biltmore otherwise assembles its final Panama products. No internal tag, beyond the ornamental one for the 1917 series with generic model/size info (this can be seen in the “waiting for” thread if curious).


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Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
Beautiful hat, Steve. It looked nice in the seller’s photos but you really bring out its best. I wish we knew more of its story.
Brent, Thanks again for the tip! The finish is much better than the photos show. The felt is of very high quality. I was hoping the seller had some background information. The hat definitely came from Germany but how it got here will remain a mystery.
 
Messages
11,677

Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,847
Location
Central Texas
My new 3X OR showed up today, what a great hat! I'm so excited I found a long oval. It's still not quite as long oval as my head but definitely an improvement or the reg oval size. It is in great condition, could use a little cleaning and the ribbons need smoothed out from being squished a little in the box. More in the Open Road thread.
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It's always nice to find those "just right hats". Enjoy.
 

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