Pre 1940s dress hats

[splintercellsz]

Very nice!#

 

[Joshbru3]

1930's Mallory

I’m selling this one, but I wanted to post it here for reference.

 

[Joshbru3]

1930's Mallory (part 2)

 

[ManofKent]

Lovely!

 

[fedoracentric]

Wow. Very uncommon a hat that old with a black sweatband.

 

[Rogera]

Very, very nice

 

[Joshbru3]

1890 - 1893 Baird & Levi Brown Derby

I received this one this weekend and it is spectacular! I love these old brown derbies. You might be wondering how I narrowed the dates of this derby down to about a 3 year span……well…….I did a bit of research last night. In the auction, the seller did not show a picture of the manufacture tag located under the sweatband, so I was very surprised to find one with a manufactures name, location, and size. I searched for the name of the company in EVERY issue of The American Hatter and The Clothier and Furnisher publications on google. I found a wealth of information.

The company was started around 1886 as Cochran, Baird & Levi in Bethel, Conn.

It changed names and ownership several times and I was able to find information about each incarnation of the company. Here is what I found:

The company names and dates were taken right from articles in The American Hatter and The Clothier and Furnisher.

Cochran, Baird & Levi : 1886 - 1889

Baird & Levi : 1890 - 1893

Leach, Baird & Wiley: 1894 - 1896

Baird-Untiedt & Penfield Co: 1897 - 1900

Baird-Untiedt Co: 1901 - 1918

Fairbury Hat Co (Operating the Former Baird-Untiedt Co): 1919

John H. Baird Hat Co - 1920 - ?

 

[Joshbru3]

 

[alanfgag]

Very special, Josh!

Great history summary, though there is the possibility that some older tags were used by later formations of the business, it is certainly an old beauty.

 

[fedoracentric]

I was watching that one, too. Glad it went to a Lounger.
Looks to be in fantastic condition and hard to find a bowler in other than standard black.
Def. has an 1890s flair to it.

 

[Joshbru3]

Very special, Josh!

Great history summary, though there is the possibility that some older tags were used by later formations of the business, it is certainly an old beauty.

Thanks, Alan!! I most certainly thought about the possibility of the company using old tags post-1893. They changed names due to change in partners and legal reasons. I am not sure if they would use the older companies name after lawsuits made them change it and partners. The sweatband stitching style (thread stitching over reed cord) and very short brim/short round crown style was popular in the early half of the 1890's. This one has me baffled. [huh]

 

[Joshbru3]

1920's/Early 30's Longley Imperial Backbow (part 1)

 

[Joshbru3]

1920's/Early 30's Longley Imperial Backbow (part 2)

 

[Joshbru3]

1920's/Early 30's Longley Imperial Backbow (part 3)

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Sweet Josh that is an early back bow. Love the detail of the liner.

 

[mayserwegener]

Fantastic find! Really great liner! Nothing like the old ones!

 

[alanfgag]

very nice, Josh!

It sure looks like the X on the back bow is a protective basting stitch. Interesting that it often remains in place.

 

[Joshbru3]

Sweet Josh that is an early back bow. Love the detail of the liner.

Fantastic find! Really great liner! Nothing like the old ones!

very nice, Josh!

+3

Thanks, Guys! The auction photos were pretty bad and the seller had crammed the hat into a super small box but luckily with a little steam and patience I got it back to normal!

I LOVE the liner as well. The little details on vintage hats really make them special.

 

[buler]

+3

 

[splintercellsz]

Exquisite!