Post New Hats Here!

[The Lost Cowboy]

Next Stingymas is already planned with that one. That side profile shows a perfect block.

Yes, now Stingymas can't come quickly enough!

The Barbisio side profile is pretty killer, I agree. Thanks Phil!

And as the night has progressed, I have also come around to appreciating the Borsa more... the low crown really does suit the smaller brim and I've got it looking a bit more dapper with copious steam. It might just be a keeper after all!

 

[Blare]

Love the all round look of that Adams Joe, especially the wide ribbon, colour, and back bow. Nice buy.

Thank you Steve.

 

[Blare]

The Barbisio is a treasure. This is very thick felt - it’s like western weight. It took a lot of steam to reshape it. But I love the tiny brim and high crown: brim is 1-13/16 inches and the crown is just below 5-3/4.

The inside is super lush. This strikes me as a hat one might wear to the opera.

Definitely a keeper. My only problem is it smells really bad when steamed. Perhaps it’s the shellac that was used in the thick felt but it smells very chemical to me.

Other than that, I’m quite happy with this guy and am excited to try my hand at a more imaginative bash for this tall crown.

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Great new additions, Nathan.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

Great new additions, Nathan.

Thanks Joe. The best thing about these hats is they led me to my new Borsa homburg and that led me to liking homburgs. That would not have happened if I had not made these purchases.

But these two guys are also nice in their own right - just a little different, is all.

 

[Blare]

Thanks Joe. The best thing about these hats is they led me to my new Borsa homburg and that led me to liking homburgs. That would not have happened if I had not made these purchases.

But these two guys are also nice in their own right - just a little different, is all.

Butterfly effect

 

[steur]

The Barbisio is a treasure. This is very thick felt - it’s like western weight. It took a lot of steam to reshape it. But I love the tiny brim and high crown: brim is 1-13/16 inches and the crown is just below 5-3/4.

The inside is super lush. This strikes me as a hat one might wear to the opera.

Definitely a keeper. My only problem is it smells really bad when steamed. Perhaps it’s the shellac that was used in the thick felt but it smells very chemical to me.

Other than that, I’m quite happy with this guy and am excited to try my hand at a more imaginative bash for this tall crown.

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Two good looking hats for the collection, Nathan. I can only agree that the Barbisio is the winner here.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

Two good looking hats for the collection, Nathan. I can only agree that the Barbisio is the winner here.

Dank u wel, Stefan. The little Borsa turned out okay as well with a light brush and some steam.

For the price I paid, I am certainly not disappointed with either of these hats. But yes, the Barbisio is - as the Germans say - einzigartig (such a better word than ‘unique’).

 

[steur]

The two hats that UPS delivered to the wrong access point surfaced (thank goodness). Time to see what I fell off the wagon for. In no particular order.

Borsalino Gulaita homburg in Amiata colour. Nutria felt in a size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. The felt on this one is magnificent and aside from a ligt scuff on the binding it's in superb condition. Weighs 119 grams.

 

[Rmccamey]

Looks super, Stefan. Is/was nutria very common for Borsalino's?

The two hats that UPS delivered to the wrong access point surfaced (thank goodness). Time to see what I fell off the wagon for. In no particular order.

Borsalino Gulaita homburg in Amiata colour. Nutria felt in a size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. The felt on this one is magnificent and aside from a ligt scuff on the binding it's in superb condition. Weighs 119 grams.

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[steur]

Looks super, Stefan. Is/was nutria very common for Borsalino's?

Thank you, Randy. Not common, but they do pop up now and again. Certainly more common than beaver (castoro) which is really hard to find.

 

[steur]

I know you're going to like this one (I know I do).
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.

 

[Mighty44]

Thank you, Randy. Not common, but they do pop up now and again. Certainly more common than beaver (castoro) which is really hard to find.

Stefan this is a surprise to me—I assumed all those super soft and lightweight vintage Borsalinos were beaver. If not, what are they and how did they make such remarkable felts? And feel free to direct me to an existing thread if this has already been covered. Thanks! David

 

[Mighty44]

I know you're going to like this one (I know I do).
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.


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i love that hat!

 

[steur]

Stefan this is a surprise to me—I assumed all those super soft and lightweight vintage Borsalinos were beaver. If not, what are they and how did they make such remarkable felts? And feel free to direct me to an existing thread if this has already been covered. Thanks! David

i love that hat!

Thanks, David. Have to look into which other threads and posts there are to cover this, but their hats were mainly rabbit, either domesticated or wild. They did however buy only the very best fur for their hats, mainly from London and Belgium. When the prices started to rise in the post-war period, due to myxomatosis outbreaks and the general decline of the fur-industry, they even tried to set up their own fur plant and failed. Turns out it's hard to get to that highest quality level. We must take into account that mercury treatment was used for longer in Europe, especially in Belgium, than in the US, even though there was legislation on the subject. It wasn't very clear and wasn't enforced strictly.
Gustav Menschel in his book "Der Hut" gives an in depth analysis of all the finer points of selecting and mixing the raw materials (you won't be able to find it: it's self published). It's a science all of its own and Borsalino isn't telling.
Another factor is that Borsalino were dedicated to keep producing the very finest of hats, even if they were losing money doing so. There was no cutting corners there. And lose money they did; from the mid sixties onwards they kept the business afloat by selling off assets here and there.
One of their folders ( I think for those coffin box hats) mentions the felt types:
trionfo (=rabbit felt)
extra superiore (=rabbit felt)
castoro (=beaver felt).

 

[Rmccamey]

Another beauty, Stefan. I always think of those heather hats as sort of fun, carefree hats ready for a good time!

I know you're going to like this one (I know I do).
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.


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[Daniele Tanto]

The two hats that UPS delivered to the wrong access point surfaced (thank goodness). Time to see what I fell off the wagon for. In no particular order.

Borsalino Gulaita homburg in Amiata colour. Nutria felt in a size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. The felt on this one is magnificent and aside from a ligt scuff on the binding it's in superb condition. Weighs 119 grams.

View attachment 586471 View attachment 586472 View attachment 586473 View attachment 586474 View attachment 586475 View attachment 586476 View attachment 586477 View attachment 586478 View attachment 586479 View attachment 586480

I know you're going to like this one (I know I do).
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.


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Stefano two very interesting hats...for the tight side sizes. I hoped you will be the buyer, so it is The most intriguing is the Lock, the Borsalino is a classic. Così vieni come mercante fiammingo nell'alta Italia a mercanteggiare

 

[Mighty44]

Thanks, David. Have to look into which other threads and posts there are to cover this, but their hats were mainly rabbit, either domesticated or wild. They did however buy only the very best fur for their hats, mainly from London and Belgium. When the prices started to rise in the post-war period, due to myxomatosis outbreaks and the general decline of the fur-industry, they even tried to set up their own fur plant and failed. Turns out it's hard to get to that highest quality level. We must take into account that mercury treatment was used for longer in Europe, especially in Belgium, than in the US, even though there was legislation on the subject. It wasn't very clear and wasn't enforced strictly.
Gustav Menschel in his book "Der Hut" gives an in depth analysis of all the finer points of selecting and mixing the raw materials (you won't be able to find it: it's self published). It's a science all of its own and Borsalino isn't telling.
Another factor is that Borsalino were dedicated to keep producing the very finest of hats, even if they were losing money doing so. There was no cutting corners there. And lose money they did; from the mid sixties onwards they kept the business afloat by selling off assets here and there.
One of their folders ( I think for those coffin box hats) mentions the felt types:
trionfo (=rabbit felt)
extra superiore (=rabbit felt)
castoro (=beaver felt).

Amazing—thanks, Stefan. So interesting about the mercury.

 

[steur]

Another beauty, Stefan. I always think of those heather hats as sort of fun, carefree hats ready for a good time!

Thanks, Randy. This certainly is a fun hat.

Stefano two very interesting hats...for the tight side sizes. I hoped you will be the buyer, so it is The most intriguing is the Lock, the Borsalino is a classic. Così vieni come mercante fiammingo nell'alta Italia a mercanteggiare

Grazie, Daniele. Dovunque riesco a trovare questi cappelli, vengo a comprarli!

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Thanks, Randy. This certainly is a fun hat.


Grazie, Daniele. Dovunque riesco a trovare questi cappelli, vengo a comprarli!

Fai benissimo

 

[Steve1857]

I know you're going to like this one (I know I do).
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.


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Two great finds, Stefan. Love the Borsalino, absolutely adore the Lock & Co.