Post New Hats Here!

[Aureliano]

Thank you Ale and Jeff.

Another factor in the puzzler that I forgot to add to the original post is the U.S. market Borsalino imprint. Very odd, if the owner's story is true and accurate. Some sort of Borsalino factory store selling overruns? There is no store imprint or other marking on the front or back of the sweatband. Hmmmm.?

Alan, Robert and Steve,
Let me participate: This rollable I got in Roma during Christmas is also a hat marketed for the USA. It has the Made in Italy by the Original House instead of just Antica casa fondata... This could add a point to the theory that outlets sold/sell "reject" or "overruns" Borsalinos for other markets. I bough mine in a vintage shop, so who knows what's the story. Just like Alan's mine is a Natalsca model.

Also, the details in the back of the box don't match the hat. Check out the color and, just like Alan's, how it says EES in one of the fields and Germania in the account line... Were these originally the boxes of a German "Rollable?

And there are Borsalino outlets, still. The hats I looked were all Italian market though. I took this photo at the outlet right next to La Fontana di Trevi.

Also, if uncle George is right about what they told him (to get the hat out when he was ready to wear it) this instruction tag--you might have seen it when I posted it before-- that came inside of one of my triangular boxes supports the argument.

 

[mayserwegener]

Great info!

I am still scratching my head regarding the off one size Point (not French Point?) to US (unless they are UK) conversions on the box paper label.

 

[Aureliano]

Great info!

I am still scratching my head regarding the off one size Point to US (unless they are UK) conversions on the box paper label.

They're the same as in my box, right? Aren't they just a list of possible sizes going from 2 punti up to 7 1/2 Punti.
And then a list of non punti sizing from 61/2 to 7 5/8? Mine has the I marking right below the 71/8, which is accurate. I don't think these are vertical size conversions (as they don't match) but rather just a list of possible sizes for both markets.

 

[mayserwegener]

Yes yours is the same. I know the box doesn't match but does your hat measure US 7 1/8 (57cm)?

 

[Aureliano]

Yes yours is the same. I know the box doesn't match but does your hat measure US 7 1/8 (57cm)?

Yes, its a US 1/8 though the color in the box doesn't match the hat label.

 

[rlk]

Do your ref numbers on the hat match the box?

 

[alanfgag]

Ale, thank you for adding this additional info - fantastic. I did not remember that this hat from your recent trip was the same model and sold in the box with the same label.

The sizes chart might well be UK/France. The handwritten marks 7 3/8 and "P" are earlier, in European hand. Then there is the word "empty." Then all three are crossed out in ball point pen and 6 3/4 is written below. My hat is a size 7 1/8. I would guess the numbers to be model specific and not hat specific serial numbers.

The weight of this triangular box is that of two lightweight hats. I don't remember seeing one that contained a U.S. imported hat with store imprint, leading me to wonder whether these were sold with hats in the U.S. Does anyone have/remember an example?

I will write back to Uncle George to see if he is able to share additional recollections of his trip and this purchase. If he is real, remembers and is willing to reply, it should be an interesting addition.

thanks! Alan

 

[Lt.Tom]

This discussion is way over my head, but I do have a thought to add. Working at a tobacco shop in college, we might have 4 Savinelli Punto Oro pipes with a smooth finish on display. That meant there were 4 matching empty boxes in the back room. If one of the pipes sold, little or no effort was made to find that pipe's particular box. We retrieved the Punto Oro box from the top of the stack and put the pipe in it. We hat no idea that 30 years later quality briar would be hard to come by, and these middle-of-the-road quality pipes would become as valuable as they are today. No doubt there are people on a forum somewhere discussing why the shapes don't match the numbers on the boxes. Is it possible (especially if it was an overstock situation) that this happend when your hats were originally sold?

 

[mayserwegener]

They're the same as in my box, right? Aren't they just a list of possible sizes going from 2 punti up to 7 1/2 Punti.
And then a list of non punti sizing from 61/2 to 7 5/8? Mine has the I marking right below the 71/8, which is accurate. I don't think these are vertical size conversions (as they don't match) but rather just a list of possible sizes for both markets.

They (box paper label) match UK size to French Point. As far as I know the Italians internally used French Point & CM.

Here is a old JHS size label with conversions.

 

[mayserwegener]

Ale, thank you for adding this additional info - fantastic. I did not remember that this hat from your recent trip was the same model and sold in the box with the same label.

The sizes chart might well be UK/France. The handwritten marks 7 3/8 and "P" are earlier, in European hand. Then there is the word "empty." Then all three are crossed out in ball point pen and 6 3/4 is written below. My hat is a size 7 1/8. I would guess the numbers to be model specific and not hat specific serial numbers.

The weight of this triangular box is that of two lightweight hats. I don't remember seeing one that contained a U.S. imported hat with store imprint, leading me to wonder whether these were sold with hats in the U.S. Does anyone have/remember an example?

I will write back to Uncle George to see if he is able to share additional recollections of his trip and this purchase. If he is real, remembers and is willing to reply, it should be an interesting addition.

thanks! Alan

I guess they were just empty / available boxes. Look forward to further details.

 

[Aureliano]

Do your ref numbers on the hat match the box?

The numbers in the hat are:1170 59119A VS II70 59II9 C on the box. They replace 1 for I

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

This discussion is way over my head, but I do have a thought to add. Working at a tobacco shop in college, we might have 4 Savinelli Punto Oro pipes with a smooth finish on display. That meant there were 4 matching empty boxes in the back room. If one of the pipes sold, little or no effort was made to find that pipe's particular box. We retrieved the Punto Oro box from the top of the stack and put the pipe in it. We hat no idea that 30 years later quality briar would be hard to come by, and these middle-of-the-road quality pipes would become as valuable as
they are today. No doubt there are people on a forum somewhere discussing why the shapes don't match the numbers on the boxes. Is it possible (especially if it was an overstock situation) that this happend when your hats were originally sold?

Very good point. This applies to most hat issues.
Hats where a everyday item. No one thought about collecting hats
They where worn.

 

[Chepstow]

Boston trade Mark, stamped 1962, nothing special, but I found him at the flea market today.
I liked the grosgrain ribbon as well. Very short brim.

 

[scooter]

Well, Manfred, while that is certainly not as vintage as some of the hats we see on here, I can understand how it caught your eye. It appears to be in very good condition, and I, too, really like that ribbon. Congratulations!

 

[Chepstow]

Scooter, thanks for the very kind words. I appreciate them.

 

[Redwoodjedi]

Hey! It's been a while since I've shown my face around these boards. So I thought I would jump back in with a new hat. A little background; Back when I was logging in Colorado all throughout the 90's, I was virtually never seen without my felt Bush Hat. Suffice it to say, it was my favorite hat. Just the right amount of sweat stains blotching the ribbon area. Just the right amount of grime and much at the peak of the crown and around the brim. For fifteen years I have been without it because it did not survive the move from Colorado to the Pacific Northwest. Now, I am a permanent resident of the South living in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and enjoy the leisure of running my own Graphic Design Business from my office at home. I make my own hours and I fish when I want. Fantastic. I also thought that it was high time for another hat to "record" my life's adventures with and on. My ol' trusty Bush/Country hat which I dearly missed. For the last year I've been poking around stores Western and otherwise, looking on the nets and was not finding what I was looking for. I enjoy old fashioned taste as many of you do and although I found styles that were close, I could not find what I wore before.

So........long story short, I had to "make" it. I went to the local Western outfitter and found an open crowned hat that was very tall but the brim was also very, very wide. Five and a half inches wide. It was a cowboy hat but a little over the top brimwise. Not an issue. The hat in question was a Resistol "Showdown" with a very tough and superb 5X Beaver felt. Hard as nails. Exactly what I was looking for especially if I want it to survive my adventures through bush and bramble. The model I bought is a Fawn color with a thin Moss Green ribbon. Also perfect as my favorite color of daily clothing is camo! This just so happened to be the last one in the shop and at my size at 6 7/8. Lucky me!

I took it home and proceeded immediately to trim two inches off of the brim whilst I had the tea kettle on. After I trimmed the brim, I commenced to putting a nice Diamond Crease in the 5 inch untapered crown. I then shaped the brim with what I call a standard, fedora style swoop. Once I had the crease and shape done, I then took a fine grit sandpaper to the edge of the brim to remove the unsightly bevel from the edge and give it a nice, smooth rounded appearance and then, Voila! For $170.00 American and 15 years of waiting, I finally had my daily, go-to, all around favorite hat back and furthermore, I love it way more than the first!

Here are some pics.

This is the exact model only this one is Black with a Black Ribbon, obviously

After the trim and crease

With the brim edges sanded and rounded on Yours Truly.


Nice to be back!

Erik

 

[Chepstow]

Erik, again, very well job done. It looks really good on you.
You can be proud with rightly.

 

[Redwoodjedi]

Thank you, Manfred. It is appreciated!

Erik

 

[hatophile]

Mossy green Stetson, probably some type of Forest Service hat.

 

[hatophile]

Dark gray Pilgrim, needs a clean and steam, but I think will dress up nice.