Questian for you Australian forumers....

[monbla256]

... tried asking on the Akubra Overload thread but no response so I will ask you folks specificaly about this hat. I've a freind in Christ Church, NZ who sent me this pic of his third Akubra that he just picked up at a church rumage sale:

It seems in nice shape and says "Warwick" on the sweat. It's not in any listing of current Akubra's so he was wondering when it was made? Any of you folks familiar with this model ?
Thanks.

 

[Duper]

Does it say anything inside like "Exclusively for Outback Trading Company"? Perhaps it is a special offering prepared for a retailer based on one of their more popular standard hats.

 

[DAJE]

You might get a better result from asking Akubra directly. Simply being Australian doesn't guarantee any knowledge about Akubras - or any taste: it's rare to see anyone wearing any hat other than a baseball cap here, just like the US. And, without exaggeration, the occasional Akubra you do see is about 100 times more likely to be a bush hat than a fedora.

I tried searching "Australia only" at google.com.au and found this amusing but probably unrelated story;

An event officially known as the Warwick Incident occurred on the 29 November 1917, which would lead to the formation of the Australian Commonwealth Police with the first commissioner for Commonwealth Police appointed eight days later. As Prime Minister William Morris Hughes was addressing a crowd at the Warwick railway station, a man in the crowd threw an egg dislodging the Prime Minister's hat. Hughes ordered his arrest but the Queensland State Police allegedly refused to carry out the order.

I'm hoping that some wit at Akubra heard that story and it inspired the hat name.

 

[monbla256]

Daje,
Thanks for replying. The story about the commissioner was hilarious !! I do understand about the bush hat vs fedora thing. My friend thinks it came from the '60s and i was going to try and contact Akubra directly but I could not find an e-mail address for them on their site. Phone, and street/mailing address but no internet communication was given ! Thanks again though

 

[Tomasso]

I could not find an e-mail address for them on their site.

http://www.akubra.com.au/corporate_contact.html

 

[monbla256]

Thanks,
i missed that if it had been a snake I'd a been bit

 

[Godfrey]

The hat was issued by Akubra in the early to mid 90's so it's a bit of a classic. I think they stopped making the hat prior to 2000 at the latest. It is a great hat - a nice mid point between the Hampton and the Style Master. I had a version that was very much treasured for some 10+ years before a puppy cocker spaniel managed to get hold and enact the wisdom of Solomon on it (half for me - for him!). I've always promised myself a trip to the factory for a special request for them to dig out the old block and make me a replacement.

 

[Chascomm]

The hat was issued by Akubra in the early to mid 90's so it's a bit of a classic. I think they stopped making the hat prior to 2000 at the latest. It is a great hat - a nice mid point between the Hampton and the Style Master. I had a version that was very much treasured for some 10+ years before a puppy cocker spaniel managed to get hold and enact the wisdom of Solomon on it (half for me - for him!). I've always promised myself a trip to the factory for a special request for them to dig out the old block and make me a replacement.

Hi. I'm the chap in the hat pictured at the start of the thread, but I'm in Western Australia. I think monbla256 got me confused with somebody else who just got a Warwick. With any luck this means he's got another photo for comparison.

If Akubra issued a Warwick in the 1990s, this ain't it. I inherited it from my great uncle in 1989 and it was well worn by then. Perhaps the '90s Warwick was a reissue of an older style.

It is not lined, which in my experience is unusual for an Akubra town hat, but maybe not unusual when it was made?

In the crown is the Akubra crest marked as follows:

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURE
PURE FUR FELT
AKUBRA
SUPERFINE
QUALITY​

On the front of the sweat is:

Warwick​

And on the left side another Akubra crest:

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURE
AKUBRA REG
SUPERFINE QUALITY​

and that's about all the detail I can offer.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Akubra really are hopeless, different names for hats, and colours, I wish they would standardise their product worldwide

 

[Blackthorn]

Akubra really are hopeless, different names for hats, and colours, I wish they would standardise their product worldwide

And add some optional colors, like moonstone and tawny fawn on all their fedoras. They are indeed hopeless.

 

[Chascomm]

Akubra really are hopeless, different names for hats, and colours, I wish they would standardise their product worldwide

Are you saying that is what is happening here? That the Warwick actually currently exists under another name?

I have not in the last 20 years seen another Akubra design quite like it.

 

[Chascomm]

and that's about all the detail I can offer.

Well actually there are a few more details:

Crown 4" at the front, 3.25 at the back, maybe slightly less taper than the Stylemaster. Teardrop bash.

2" brim with a very tight snap at the back.

Not a bound edge, but simply turned over and stitched. That's another feature besides the lack of lining which sets it apart from modern Akubra town hats that I've seen.

 

[Neophyte]

Well actually there are a few more details:

Crown 4" at the front, 3.25 at the back, maybe slightly less taper than the Stylemaster. Teardrop bash.

2" brim with a very tight snap at the back.

Not a bound edge, but simply turned over and stitched. That's another feature besides the lack of lining which sets it apart from modern Akubra town hats that I've seen.

This is a mystery begging to be solved. The brim treatment is by far the most confounding, for me [huh]!

 

[Godfrey]

...If Akubra issued a Warwick in the 1990s, this ain't it. I inherited it from my great uncle in 1989 and it was well worn by then. Perhaps the '90s Warwick was a reissue...

Not surprised if that's the case. I started wearing hats in about 1990 so could easily be an older style. It was a shame they stopped -great hat!

 

[Chascomm]

Not a bound edge, but simply turned over and stitched.

Overwelt. That was the word I was looking for.

And another thing. The ribbon is not grosgrain. It got a sort of crepe-ish texture.

Here's another view of the Warwick with a better view of the ribbon:

 

[Godfrey]

Overwelt. That was the word I was looking for.

And another thing. The ribbon is not grosgrain. It got a sort of crepe-ish

That's odd. Mine definitely had a normal ribbon and bound edge. They must have done different versions.