Post New Hats Here!

[ManofKent]

I try to avoid them. They invariably find things wrong with you.

I avoid psychiatrists for the same reason...

 

[hatophile]

Yeah, they'd probably tell you you have a "Hat Fixation".

 

[ManofKent]

Yeah, they'd probably tell you you have a "Hat Fixation".

Possibly

 

[splintercellsz]

My signature sums it up... I think

 

[Rogera]

I avoid psychiatrists for the same reason...

:eusa_clap

 

[viclip]

SNOWBLOWER HAT

A while back I'd asked for guidance respecting my planned acquisition of an Akubra "Territory", which with a chin strap I intended to use as my official snowblower hat. I figured that its 4" brim, coupled with renowned Akubra ruggedness, would help keep the snow from painfully blowing back into my face while making a watery mess all over my eyeglasses. Notwithstanding that some members may have been inclined to refer me to a hat psychiatrist, I proceeded as planned. The hat arrived a few weeks ago courtesy of David Morgan, whose version of the Territory comes with pre-installed chin strap eyelets. Here's a shot of it following the clearing of our latest half-foot of snowfall which blessed us today:



I found it impossible to attach the Akubra brand chin strap to the little inboard "hooks" & I wound up using stainless steel cotter pins which I inserted from the outside & then bent inboard to capture the chin strap through the latter's holes. I found out the hard way not to try using cotter pins resembling the suckers retaining the front hubs on my 1976 GMC Suburban (3/4 Ton, 454 cid incidentally). Ultimately I used fairly small cotter pins whose round end diameters are just a bit larger than the eyelet holes, they work just fine.

The hat is the "Fawn" colour (looks more like Khaki quite frankly), which I preferred over "Sand" because I was concerned with staining due to being sprayed with soiled snow. It's sized 7-3/4; I would normally take a 7-5/8 however I went up a bit to accommodate one of those thin balaclavas worn by cyclists ~ the additional protection is greatly appreciated in cold weather (we're going down overnight to 2 degrees F in mid-March!). The 4" brim of the Territory has proven to be hugely handy in as much as it allows me to avoid blowback by simply lowering my head whenever the wind picks up.

I had been warned that the 4" brim would result in collisions with nearby objects. The first time that I wore the hat, I managed to wedge myself between the back door & the door frame; I had to rearrange my compressor's location in order to widen the doorway access! But it was worth it.

I have no regrets in having acquired the Akubra Territory, the wide brim has proven robust enough to handle the compacted snowy load settling thereon. Actually, the first time that I wore it I wound up with far more snow on the brim than tonight, with no problem.

I've since discovered that Resistol makes hats with 5" brims resembling "Boss of the Plains". I wouldn't mind picking up one of those but thus far haven't found one on-line. Does anyone know who might carry them?

Tonight we broke the all-time record for the snowiest winter, our fresh 6" saw to that. Nearby Detroit is on the verge of breaking their record as well, I think they're within 3" thereof, as if they're not already miserable enough courtesy of bankruptcy exacerbating dwindling municipal service delivery (such as street ploughing).

I'm just glad that I've got a nice powerful Craftsman snowblower, a really nice Territory snowblower hat which fits perfectly over my skinny balaclava, & that I can now partake of a bit of cognac to restore my circulation (sipped for medicinal purposes only of course).

 

[Purplesage]

Dobbs Golden Couch Westward

This Westward just arrived today. It has a 3" snap-down brim, 5 1/2" crown depth and an unreeded leather sweatband. It has a sculpted liner of either rayon or silk and the crown tip feels like some type of vinyl which I have not seen on a vintage hat before. I'm guessing it dates to the 40s. I'm not sure when Dobbs introduced the Westward line and if it was always a Golden Coach!

 

[ManofKent]

Viclip - looks like it'll do the job nicely. Hope the cognac helped with the circulation.

Purplesage - nice Dobbs.

 

[Denton]

Palco "Thistle"

I wish I had a decent camera, and I wish I knew how to use a camera. And I wish I had some daylight. Alas for me! I am so curious about this hat that I am going to post two wretched photos anyway.



This is the profile of the Palco "Thistle" hat. Spiral stitching through the brim and crown. Crown is 6 inches, with significant taper; brim is 2.5. Felt ribbon. Felt brim binding. Felt is fuzzy and woolly and wiry (in the words of Marc Chevalier's description of Palco's "Grouse" hat).

Here is as much of the reorder tag as I am able to expose without ripping out the sweatband -- in this picture, at least, you can kind of see the crown stitching:



I have no idea what this hat is, or when it's from. I would believe as early as the 1930s and as late as the 1950s. If anyone knows something, please tell me. More dimly lit photos may be viewed in the newly revived Palco thread. Tomorrow I will try to post a more detailed photo with better lighting.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Nice Westward, Purplesage! Dobbs introduced the Westward name in 1935, so it has some history. I think yours is probably 1950. It doesn't match the Westward models up through '47. I found only one ad for a 1949 Westward, and it's styled more like a Stetson Playboy. But the 1950 and 1951 ads looks exactly like yours, with the ribbon tacked flat instead of "drooping" down the brim, and a wind trolley. The earlier ones don't seem to feature the wind trolley. Most OPS Westwards I've seen feature the slanted gold debossed Dobbs and model name, though there were two different quality levels of the Westward. The lower-priced ones probably featured the slanted name, as with the Hanover Square and others, while the higher-priced ones might have featured the gold debossed Coach. Yours doesn't feature gold, though, and it has a '40s style label, so I think it's a 1950 model, and I'll have to make sure my '40s label info to extends it to at least 1950.

As for the vinyl tip, I've not encountered one like that before. The idea might not have lasted that long. Does there seem to be any indication that there might have at one time been clear plastic or cellophane over it that has since disintegrated?

Brad

 

[Purplesage]

Brad, I did check for some remnants of a plastic, cellophane or oilskin cover and there are none. I don't believe it ever had a clear plastic type cover. The vinyl crown tip looks like it was designed for the same purpose as the plastic cover. Like the plastic, the vinyl would be non-porous and there would be no need for a plastic cover. I rechecked the back side of the sweatband which has a $10.00 price tag glued to it and the band is stamped as a size 7 1/2"! This appears to be the original unreeded sweatband and there are no indications it was ever replaced. When did Dobbs stop using unreeded sweatbands?

 

[Denton]

Two more views of Palco "Thistle."





I think it looks good with long side dents. Additional photos and speculation in the Palco thread.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I've since discovered that Resistol makes hats with 5" brims resembling "Boss of the Plains". I wouldn't mind picking up one of those but thus far haven't found one on-line. Does anyone know who might carry them?

I think they don't show up much... I only was able to get a 5" brim Stetson from the 70's...

 

[rclark]

I picked up this Borsalino Alessandria yesterday at a random vintage clothing shop in the middle of nowhere. It is in good shape and fits me perfectly. Anyone here have an idea as to the age of this little guy?

 

[hatsRme]

New hat, but NOT for me! For all the whining I do about my mellon-sized noggin, this gift for a friend is a size 65, or 8-1/8 US. From Panama Hats Direct, during their most recent off-season sale. The Havana...



Note the neighbor's hedge, stripped of any green matter for as high as the deer can reach to feed. We were overrun this year due to the hard winter.

 

[viclip]

I think they don't show up much... I only was able to get a 5" brim Stetson from the 70's...

Maybe I should consider the Akubra Sombrero. It has a 4-5/8" by 5" brim. Now that I'm an expert in installing eyelets & affixing chin straps with stainless steel cotter pins, this would make an excellent hat for protection against the elements including blowing snow.

Do you have any experience with the Akubra Sombrero?

 

[gtdean48]

I picked up this Borsalino Alessandria yesterday at a random vintage clothing shop in the middle of nowhere. It is in good shape and fits me perfectly. Anyone here have an idea as to the age of this little guy?
...

1980's. Got one just like, bought new from Joe Peters @ Peter Bros. in Ft Worth

 

[rclark]

1980's. Got one just like, bought new from Joe Peters @ Peter Bros. in Ft Worth

Thanks! I wouldn't be surprised if this hat came from there too given the proximity to Peters Bros.

 

[TPD166]

I got this a few weeks ago for a project hat and have been tied up with a move since then. Late '60s or early '70s Resistol with a very tall crown and wide brim. Like new, but dirty from storage (I'm guessing). I dropped it off at Paris Hatters for cleaning and to have it blocked into an open crown. Haven't decided what to do with it yet, but figured I'd post a "before" shot tonight. If there's enough crown, maybe I'll do a double teardrop like I did for my son - but also considering something a little more "John Wayne" for the "after."

 

[fashion frank]

Sniped another one cheap !!

With just seconds to go I sniped this one for cheap!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STRAW-BOATE...-SIZE-EXCELLENT-COND-NO-RESERVE-/161242884597

I'm sure someone out there somewhere is cursing me right about now.

I waited till there was just about two seconds left and then pulled the trigger.

All the Best ,Fashion Frank