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Messages
19,408
Location
Funkytown, USA
Yesterday was New Hat Day (Merry Christmas to me)! A roll of the dice for this mystery brand paid off. Fifth Avenue Hats of NYC. Turns out it's made by GW Alexander, and it's the nicest Alexander I've handled (sample size = 3). Thin, easily formed felt that responds very well. The sweat is thin and supple. I got some ghost creases out with relative ease and the condition is pristine. No stains, critter nibbles or anything.

5.5" crown, 2 5/8" bound brim. Just a great hat.

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Interestingly enough, it was originally purchased in Coshocton, Ohio, and I got it from a guy in WA who sent it back to me in Dayton.

Hakuna Matata and all that.
 
Messages
11,363
Location
Alabama
Yesterday was New Hat Day (Merry Christmas to me)! A roll of the dice for this mystery brand paid off. Fifth Avenue Hats of NYC. Turns out it's made by GW Alexander, and it's the nicest Alexander I've handled (sample size = 3). Thin, easily formed felt that responds very well. The sweat is thin and supple. I got some ghost creases out with relative ease and the condition is pristine. No stains, critter nibbles or anything.

5.5" crown, 2 5/8" bound brim. Just a great hat.

View attachment 475764 View attachment 475765 View attachment 475766 View attachment 475767 View attachment 475768 View attachment 475769 View attachment 475770 View attachment 475771

Interestingly enough, it was originally purchased in Coshocton, Ohio, and I got it from a guy in WA who sent it back to me in Dayton.

Hakuna Matata and all that.
Great looking TAR, Jim. I really like the color and The Buckeye stamping is cool as a fan.
 
Messages
11,619
Yesterday was New Hat Day (Merry Christmas to me)! A roll of the dice for this mystery brand paid off. Fifth Avenue Hats of NYC. Turns out it's made by GW Alexander, and it's the nicest Alexander I've handled (sample size = 3). Thin, easily formed felt that responds very well. The sweat is thin and supple. I got some ghost creases out with relative ease and the condition is pristine. No stains, critter nibbles or anything.

5.5" crown, 2 5/8" bound brim. Just a great hat.

View attachment 475764 View attachment 475765 View attachment 475766 View attachment 475767 View attachment 475768 View attachment 475769 View attachment 475770 View attachment 475771

Interestingly enough, it was originally purchased in Coshocton, Ohio, and I got it from a guy in WA who sent it back to me in Dayton.

Hakuna Matata and all that.
A fine looking hat, Jim. Merry Christmas
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,213
Location
Verona - Italia
Today I am introducing you to a velour hat which has the particularity of having certainly been made in Italy
De Luxe Panizza 2.jpg

We saw with Steve during our visit to the Panizza museum in Ghiffa the machines for obtaining this type of felt finish
De Luxe Panizza 4.jpg
The hat is a Panizza De Luxe size 57cm or 7 3/8 in the US.
De Luxe interno.jpg
The type of the felt finish is called "melousine" French word to define this finish
De Luxe Panizza particolare.jpg
The color of the felt is a dark honey, although there's no paper label to spell it out for sure, but it's very similar to another one I acquired last year
De Luxe Panizza 7a.jpg
The felt has a medium-long fur, particularly soft and with an excellent texture.
The peculiarity, in addition to the color, is the ribbon which is in brown velour with visible stitching
De Luxe Panizza 7.jpg

These are the measurements of the Panizza De Luxe: the raw brims are 6 centimeters, the very short pile vlor ribbon is 4 centimeters and the fully open crown is 14.5 centimeters.
If any velour enthusiast is interested, the hat needs a new home.
 

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,807
Location
Denmark
Yesterday was New Hat Day (Merry Christmas to me)! A roll of the dice for this mystery brand paid off. Fifth Avenue Hats of NYC. Turns out it's made by GW Alexander, and it's the nicest Alexander I've handled (sample size = 3). Thin, easily formed felt that responds very well. The sweat is thin and supple. I got some ghost creases out with relative ease and the condition is pristine. No stains, critter nibbles or anything.

5.5" crown, 2 5/8" bound brim. Just a great hat.

View attachment 475764 View attachment 475765 View attachment 475766 View attachment 475767 View attachment 475768 View attachment 475769 View attachment 475770 View attachment 475771

Interestingly enough, it was originally purchased in Coshocton, Ohio, and I got it from a guy in WA who sent it back to me in Dayton.

Hakuna Matata and all that.
That is one great Christmas present, Jim. Congrats and hope you're having a merry one.
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Today I am introducing you to a velour hat which has the particularity of having certainly been made in Italy
View attachment 475893
We saw with Steve during our visit to the Panizza museum in Ghiffa the machines for obtaining this type of felt finish
View attachment 475894
The hat is a Panizza De Luxe size 57cm or 7 3/8 in the US.
View attachment 475895
The type of the felt finish is called "melousine" French word to define this finish
View attachment 475900
The color of the felt is a dark honey, although there's no paper label to spell it out for sure, but it's very similar to another one I acquired last year
View attachment 475896
The felt has a medium-long fur, particularly soft and with an excellent texture.
The peculiarity, in addition to the color, is the ribbon which is in brown velour with visible stitching
View attachment 475899
These are the measurements of the Panizza De Luxe: the raw brims are 6 centimeters, the very short pile vlor ribbon is 4 centimeters and the fully open crown is 14.5 centimeters.
If any velour enthusiast is interested, the hat needs a new home.


Lovely hat, Daniele. I could see through the photos just how soft it must be.
I’ve always thought melousine was a longer finish than velour…or is is just a longer velour?
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,213
Location
Verona - Italia
Lovely hat, Daniele. I could see through the photos just how soft it must be.
I’ve always thought melousine was a longer finish than velour…or is is just a longer velour?
Thanks Brent. Yes indeed the felt is very soft and what I really like is the texture of the felt underneath the hair.
Melousine denotes both short and long velour in French, without much distinction, but is also used to denote the lustrous silk fabric that covers top hats. Let's say it must have shiny reflections to be considered melousine.
There are also, to add, the definitions borrowed from the language of the Italian hat makers which did not always respect the correct terminology of origin, see for example the term "Flamand" which is also used in Italy in the heyday of the Italian hat maker for a felt with very similar finish.
It should be kept in mind that Panizza was certainly the last Italian hats manufacturer to make velour in house having a production line dedicated to this felt finish.
 

Bird Lives

A-List Customer
Messages
416
Location
Issaquah, WA
I've been talking about a new lightweight borsalino with a fabric sweatband and no lining. Wife picked up on it and picked one up at a Dept.Store in Istanbul. She has a rule about not surprising me with a hat...but letting me pick out my own hat surprises...But this one reached out and convinced her...

I love it. It's brand new...I was scared off of brand new Borsalinos from the bad press... But recently reading things Daniele has said has opened my mind.
IMG_20221227_133659.jpg
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IMG_20221225_171322.jpg

Well, I for one haven't a proplem with the new Borsa's...I'm enjoying mine...I think they are like Lock & Co. The name makes them more expensive...But both Lock's now made by Isesa in Spain with Fepsa felt and Borsalino made with Borsalino felts or Fepsa felt in some cases I hear, correct me if I'm wrong)...But neither maker is making bad hats; I don't believe....This one is a lower level Borsa which I think is comparable to my higher level Isesa; fur quality wise at least...But this hat is even more malleable, I've been rebashing all afternoon, no steam...It's like modeling clay...Too much fun...lol...I better cool it ..my wife thinks Im going to wear a hole in it if I keep sculpting it, lol.

Addendum:
14cm with fully opened crown
5.5cm brim
Size 60
 
Last edited:

Bird Lives

A-List Customer
Messages
416
Location
Issaquah, WA
Another one of them dang 1/8 hats.
But this’n nearly fits. However, I imagine it’ll just sell with the rest of em later.
Somehow it’s more aggravating to have a hat that nearly fits than those that aren’t close to fitting.
Right now I suppose these one size too small hats, I’ve posted lately, will sit in my collection.
This time it’s a sweet late 40s/early 50s Bantam with the orange and red tags. 2 5/8” brim that has one row of stitching like the Playboy.
This Bantam, imo, is just a thinner, lighter Playboy. And man, is this one thin. Lightest felt fedora I’ve ever owned.
This hat may have belonged to LBJ’s brother…

5E223964-6397-4BE6-853A-6F088CAA99A6.jpeg View attachment 475516 View attachment 475515 View attachment 475513 View attachment 475512

Beautiful colour...and love what you've done with it! Great looking bash!
 
Messages
10,815
Location
vancouver, canada
Yesterday was New Hat Day (Merry Christmas to me)! A roll of the dice for this mystery brand paid off. Fifth Avenue Hats of NYC. Turns out it's made by GW Alexander, and it's the nicest Alexander I've handled (sample size = 3). Thin, easily formed felt that responds very well. The sweat is thin and supple. I got some ghost creases out with relative ease and the condition is pristine. No stains, critter nibbles or anything.

5.5" crown, 2 5/8" bound brim. Just a great hat.

View attachment 475764 View attachment 475765 View attachment 475766 View attachment 475767 View attachment 475768 View attachment 475769 View attachment 475770 View attachment 475771

Interestingly enough, it was originally purchased in Coshocton, Ohio, and I got it from a guy in WA who sent it back to me in Dayton.

Hakuna Matata and all that.
/the return of the prodigal fedora? Great colour.
 

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