Report: Bowler hat from Lock & Co

[ManofKent]

I would hesitate to be too assertive as I am new here and far less knowledgeable than all of you but I was under the impression that Patey are the only manufacturers of hard-shell hats (bowlers, toppers…) left in England.


http://www.pateyhats.com/hat-making/

I would assume they make for all the retailers (Lock, Bates etc.). Does anyone here know?

Frog in Suit

The Patey ones are quite different to the Christys/Bates/Lock models (very much riding/show hats). Christys still make Bowlers and toppers in England: http://www.christys-hats.com/aboutus.asp

 

[Frog in Suit]

The Patey ones are quite different to the Christys/Bates/Lock models (very much riding/show hats). Christys still make Bowlers and toppers in England: http://www.christys-hats.com/aboutus.asp

Many thanks for the information and the link, although Patey do offer what they call "town bowlers". different, I would assume, from their riding/hunting,dressage models on their website. From what I have seen at their shop, the shell is very hard and stiff, helmet-like really. I have ordered a square-crowned bowler and will know more when I go and collect it...

Frog in Suit

 

[ManofKent]

Many thanks for the information and the link, although Patey do offer what they call "town bowlers". different, I would assume, from their riding/hunting,dressage models on their website. From what I have seen at their shop, the shell is very hard and stiff, helmet-like really. I have ordered a square-crowned bowler and will know more when I go and collect it...

Frog in Suit

I look forward to your report. There's a good thread on modern production bowlers here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?43817-Modern-fur-felt-Bowlers/page5

 

[Frog in Suit]

I look forward to your report. There's a good thread on modern production bowlers here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?43817-Modern-fur-felt-Bowlers/page5

Thank you for the link.

Frog in Suit

 

[Frog in Suit]

My report so far:

I went to Patey’s premises (Margaret Street, W1) with a post WWII photograph of Churchill, in a car with Lady Churchill, wearing his square-crowned bowler. I cannot find the picture I used, but this is the hat in question: http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/churchill-413379.jpg

They took my size, gave me the conformateur treatment (!) and we agreed on the curl (as in the picture, i.e., “flat brim”) and the height of the crown (5 '', quite a bit lower than the picture), wood felt in black. I was shown the innards of a bowler and they look like an extremely hard shell like the one in the video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nRR6g6InYY, perhaps not as thick and shaped like the crown of a bowler.

Delivery in a few weeks.

Frog in Suit

 

[mrwilmoth]

According to this article Christys' manufacturers Derby's for both Lock & Co and Bates.