rlk
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 6,100
- Location
- Evanston, IL
I’m so excited. I bought this hat from Ebay UK about a month ago and its been floating around customs for the last month or so. I finally got it yesterday after 30 days and I was kind of shocked to see what I got. The auction pictures and description stated that the hat was a 1950’s Dunn & Co fedora, but based on the sweatband and sweatband markings, I knew it was much older. The brim was very misshapen and the hat needed a good brushing. When I got the package, customs has crushed it pretty good, but when I pulled the hat out of the box, I was shocked. The quality of this hat is by far the best that Ive ever held in my hand from any manufacture. I steamed, hard brushed, soft brushed, and reshaped the brim and the end result was so much better than I had hoped.
There are a few little moth tracks here and there, but overall the hat is in excellent shape. There must be a high content of Beaver in this hat. The felt is moldable like clay. There is a softness, lightness, and firmness that can only be had by beaver. Im unsure if the hat is 100% Beaver, but I know the content is pretty high. The sweatband quality is the best that Ive seen. The Calf Leather is still extremely soft, subtle, and pliable. The coolest thing about the hat is that even though I believe it dates from the 20’s or 30’s, as soon as I applied steam, the felt stiffened right up as if it had never been crushed or never sat around for 90 years. The brim does NOT snap at all in front. This hat has that very cool 1920’s slight curl, but I didn’t know it until I steamed the brim. It was almost like the brim told me how to recurl it. The brim was pretty much flat, and then…presto…..the curl was back.
I am going on record saying that vintage felt, stiffener, and craftsmanship was FAR SUPERIOR than anything you can buy off the shelf today. I love this hat, and I actually wore it to work today. It’s the first time that ive worn this type of curled hat out of the house and it felt great. Heres some pics:
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Congratulations on finding the hat style you were after and a fine example. Beaver isn't required for the amazing shaping qualities of these early hats. Other fur sources(Muskrat, Nutria,Otter, Seal, Hare) that were used then or blended and less outrageously priced were capable of this performance. None of my 100% Beaver hats shape quite as firmly and smoothly as some of these early hats--most don't feel or look like pure Beaver. Doesn't really matter, for all I know it was a special shellac formula like the varnish on some Violins in addition to the fur particulars. As some early Stetson Standard Quality and No. 1 Quality have these characteristics it can't simply be attributed only to Beaver.
Outstanding hat that looks great on you.
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